16 Del. Admin. Code § 3215-3.0

Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 3, September 1, 2024

Section 3215-3.0 - General Requirements

3.1 Facilities implementing Feeding Assistant programs shall have written policies and procedures in place that include each item in Section 3.1.

3.2 Facilities implementing Feeding Assistant Programs shall strictly limit the responsibilities of each Feeding Assistant.

3.2.1 The facility shall ensure that each Feeding Assistant performs only those duties for which he/she has been specifically trained.

3.2.2 The facility shall ensure that each Feeding Assistant seeks assistance from other members of the resident care team for all resident needs other than nutrition/hydration.

3.3 Each Feeding Assistant employed by any facility either as facility or contractgency staff shall be required to meet the following:

3.3.1 Each unlicensed or uncertified individual who feeds and hydrates residents in a facility, with the exception of family members and volunteers, shall successfully complete a Feeding Assistant training program approved by the Division of Long Term Care Residents Protection.

3.3.2 Feeding Assistants shall be required to successfully complete an approved Feeding Assistant training program before providing nutrition/hydration to residents.

3.3.3 A Feeding Assistant may provide nutrition/hydration to a resident only under the supervision of a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse who is present in the unit or on the floor where the task is performed and is readily available to provide assistance to the Feeding Assistant when needed.

3.3.4 A Feeding Assistant may provide nutrition/hydration only for those residents who have been assessed and approved by the supervisory nurse for such assistance. The resident assessment shall be based on the needs of, and potential risks to, the resident as observed and documented in the resident's written plan of care and the latest comprehensive assessment of the resident's functional capacity.

3.3.5 A Feeding Assistant shall not feed residents who are assessed to have complicated feeding problems such as recurrent lung aspirations, difficulty swallowing, feeding tubes, parenteral/IV feedings, chronic coughing or choking.

3.4 Participating facilities shall maintain records regarding the following:

3.4.1 The names of Feeding Assistants hired solely to provide nutrition and hydration.

3.4.2 The names of Feeding Assistants performing additional paid tasks in the facility.

3.4.3 The names of residents served by the Feeding Assistants.

3.5 The facility shall have policies and procedures in place to assure that Feeding Assistants report and record appropriate observations made while providing nutrition and hydration to nursing staff.

3.6 The resident's record shall have documentation that the residents may be fed by a Feeding Assistant. Examples of such documentation include care plans, minimum data sets, uniform assessment instruments and flow charts.

3.7 The supervisory nurse shall request a physician referral to a speech pathologist for an assessment of a resident served by a Feeding Assistant when indicated, e.g., when there has been a change in the resident's swallowing ability.

3.8 The facility shall maintain a list of facility staff qualified to train Feeding Assistants.

3.9 Feeding Assistants shall not be counted toward meeting any minimum staffing requirements.

16 Del. Admin. Code § 3215-3.0