Training and orientation requirements for ALF staff
Perhaps one of the most common deficiencies seen during the survey of an Assisted Living Facility is the failure to train (or keep a record of training) employees along with properly documenting the paperwork required to be employed in the facility. Ironically, effectively training your staff is one of the most crucial aspects of how your facility will operate. Check out the regulation below, provided by the Minnesota ALLHRD for how to ensure your employee training will satisfy the requirements of the state:
144G.63 ORIENTATION AND ANNUAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.
Subdivision 1.Orientation of staff and supervisors.
All staff providing and supervising direct services must complete an orientation to assisted living facility licensing requirements and regulations before providing assisted living services to residents. The orientation may be incorporated into the training required under subdivision 5. The orientation needs only be completed once for each staff person and is not transferable to another facility.
Subd. 2.Content of required orientation.
(a) The orientation must contain the following topics:
(1) an overview of this chapter;
(2) an introduction and review of the facility’s policies and procedures related to the provision of assisted living services by the individual staff person;
(3) handling of emergencies and use of emergency services;
(4) compliance with and reporting of the maltreatment of vulnerable adults under section 626.557 to the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC);
(5) the assisted living bill of rights and staff responsibilities related to ensuring the exercise and protection of those rights;
(6) the principles of person-centered planning and service delivery and how they apply to direct support services provided by the staff person;
(7) handling of residents’ complaints, reporting of complaints, and where to report complaints, including information on the Office of Health Facility Complaints;
(8) consumer advocacy services of the Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care, Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, Managed Care Ombudsman at the Department of Human Services, county-managed care advocates, or other relevant advocacy services; and
(9) a review of the types of assisted living services the employee will be providing and the facility’s category of licensure.
(b) In addition to the topics in paragraph (a), orientation may also contain training on providing services to residents with hearing loss. Any training on hearing loss provided under this subdivision must be high quality and research-based, may include online training and must include training on one or more of the following topics:
(1) an explanation of age-related hearing loss and how it manifests itself, its prevalence, and the challenges it poses to communication;
(2) health impacts related to untreated age-related hearing loss, such as increased incidence of dementia, falls, hospitalizations, isolation, and depression; or
(3) information about strategies and techniques that may enhance communication and involvement, including communication strategies, assistive listening devices, hearing aids, visual and tactile alerting devices, communication access in real-time, and closed captions.
Subd. 3.Orientation to the resident.
Staff providing assisted living services must be oriented specifically to each individual resident and the services to be provided. This orientation may be provided in person, orally, in writing, or electronically.
Subd. 4.Training required relating to dementia.
All direct care staff and supervisors providing direct services must demonstrate an understanding of the training specified in section 144G.64.
Subd. 5.Required annual training.
(a) All staff that performs direct services must complete at least eight hours of annual training for every 12 months of employment. The training may be obtained from the facility or another source and must include topics relevant to the provision of assisted living services. The annual training must include:
(1) training on reporting of maltreatment of vulnerable adults under section 626.557;
(2) review of the assisted living bill of rights and staff responsibilities related to ensuring the exercise and protection of those rights;
(3) review of infection control techniques used in the home and implementation of infection control standards including a review of handwashing techniques; the need for and use of protective gloves, gowns, and masks; appropriate disposal of contaminated materials and equipment, such as dressings, needles, syringes, and razor blades; disinfecting reusable equipment; disinfecting environmental surfaces, and reporting communicable diseases;
(4) effective approaches to use to problem solve when working with a resident’s challenging behaviors, and how to communicate with residents who have dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or related disorders;
(5) review of the facility’s policies and procedures relating to the provision of assisted living services and how to implement those policies and procedures; and
(6) the principles of person-centered planning and service delivery and how they apply to direct support services provided by the staff person.
(b) In addition to the topics in paragraph (a), annual training may also contain training on providing services to residents with hearing loss. Any training on hearing loss provided under this subdivision must be high quality and research-based, may include online training, and must include training on one or more of the following topics:
(1) an explanation of age-related hearing loss and how it manifests itself, its prevalence, and challenges it poses to communication;
(2) the health impacts related to untreated age-related hearing loss, such as increased incidence of dementia, falls, hospitalizations, isolation, and depression; or
(3) information about strategies and techniques that may enhance communication and involvement, including communication strategies, assistive listening devices, hearing aids, visual and tactile alerting devices, communication access in real-time, and closed captions.
Subd. 6.Implementation.
The assisted living facility must implement all orientation and training topics covered in this section.
Subd. 7.Verification and documentation of orientation and training.
The assisted living facility shall retain evidence in the employee record of each staff person having completed the orientation and training required by this section.
Top Takeaways:
- 2.Content of required orientation.
- The orientation must contain the following topics: 1-9
Orienting staff is not just a factor in the training and retention of staff, it is required by the ALLHRD. While there is no timeframe given for when the orientation must be held, it is suggested industry-wide to have staff go through an orientation prior to providing care to residents. This process should also encompass the policies and procedures of your facility to ensure the success of your staff and meet the requirements of this regulation.
Subd. 7.Verification and documentation of orientation and training.
The assisted living facility shall retain evidence in the employee record of each staff person having completed the orientation and training required by this section
So, you did a great job with orientation, everyone learned a lot and has hit the floor ready to serve your residents! Great job! But did you document the trainings? No? Then it never happened in the eyes of ALLHRD. For each specific training, you shall have a sign in sheet and a certificate of achievement to keep in each staff member’s personnel file. Surveyors typically pick through these files with a fine-tooth comb.