016-06-16 Ark. Code R. § 8

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024

Rule 016.06.16-008 - Rules and Regulations for the Arkansas Long Term Care Facility Nursing Assistant Training Program

Section VIQUALIFICATIONS OF INSTRUCTORS

A.Primary Instructor (PI)

1. The Primary Instructor shall be a Registered Nurse currently licensed in Arkansas, or holding a multi-state privilege to practice. If the Registered Nurse moves from a Compact state to Arkansas, the Registered Nurse shall meet the requirements for licensure in Arkansas as established by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. The Registered Nurse shall not be employed or act as an Instructor if the Registered Nurse's license to practice has any current disciplinary action on the license by the licensing entity or authority.

2. The Primary Instructor must possess a minimum of two (2) years nursing experience including at least one (1) year of long term care nursing services within the last five (5) years. Experience may include, but is not limited to, employment in a nursing assistant education program or employment in or supervision of nursing students in a nursing facility or unit, geriatrics department (excluding geriatric psychiatry), long-term acute care hospital, home care, hospice care or other long term care setting.

3. In a facility-based program, the training of nursing assistants may be performed under the general supervision of the Director of Nursing (DON), who is prohibited from performing the actual training (unless replacement DON coverage is provided).

4. An individual who will be the Primary Instructor and meets the above criteria may submit the Application for Program Approval (Form DMS-724) identifying their qualifications to teach. This must include nursing experience, supervisory experience, teaching experience and/or certificate of attendance in an instructor workshop.

B.Primary Instructor Responsibilities

1. There must be one, and only one, Primary Instructor for each course. All questions and correspondence referring to the course will be directed to this person. The PI should participate in the planning of each lesson/teaching module - including clinical instruction - whether or not the PI teaches the lesson.

2. The Primary Instructor of a nursing assistant training program shall be responsible for supervision of the program and ensuring that the following requirements are met:

(a) Course objectives are accomplished.

(b) Only persons having appropriate skills and knowledge are selected to conduct any part of the training. Each instructor shall be monitored and evaluated during classroom, learning laboratory and clinical training whenever new material is being taught and at periodic intervals to include, but not limited to, first training calls, following any complaint on a specific instructor and at least annually. Performance reviews of instructors must be documented and maintained.

(c) The provision of direct individual care to assigned residents by a trainee is limited to appropriately supervised clinical experience. Instructors, not unit or facility staff, are expected to function as supervisor of trainees while in clinical areas and providing resident care.

(d) Each trainee shall demonstrate competence in clinical skills and fundamental principles of resident care. The task performance record (skills check-off) must be approved by the Primary Instructor who must sign or initial all final skills check-off records.

(e) Records are kept to verify the participation and performance of each trainee in each phase of the training program. The satisfactory completion of the training program by each trainee shall be attested on each trainee's record.

(f) Each trainee is issued a certificate of completion within ten (10) calendar days of course completion and as described in Section IV(B) (7) of these regulations.

C.Additional Instructors/Trainers

1. Instructors may use other qualified resource personnel from the health field as guest instructors in the program to meet the objectives for a specific unit. Examples are pharmacists, dietitians, social workers, sanitarians, advocates, gerontologists, nursing home administrators, etc. Guest instructors must have a minimum of one (1) year of experience in their respective fields and must not have current disciplinary action by their respective regulatory board.

2. Registered Nurses or Licensed Practical Nurses may be used to provide classroom and skills training and supervision. They must be under the general supervision of the Primary Instructor (all final skills check-off reviews must be approved by the Primary Instructor), currently licensed in Arkansas or holding a multi-state privilege to practice, and have a minimum of one (1) year of long-term care experience. If the Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse moves from a Compact state to Arkansas, the Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse shall meet the requirements for licensure in Arkansas as established by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. The Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse shall not be employed or act as an Instructor if the Registered Nurse's or Licensed Practical Nurse's license to practice has any current disciplinary action on the license by the licensing entity or authority.

3. The Application of Program Approval (Form DMS-724) shall be used to identify each additional instructor/trainer and their qualifications to teach.

016.06.16 Ark. Code R. § 008

3/18/2016