Section 325.22001. Minimum criteria for education and training of unlicensed nursing personnel.

(1) Each facility shall adopt and implement an education and training program that shall specify minimum competencies, performance objectives, and methods of evaluation which cover at  least  the  content listed in subrule (2) of this rule. If the facility, by policy, does not permit unlicensed nursing personnel to perform a specific procedure covered in subrule (2) of this rule, training in that specific procedure may be excluded.

(2) The following content shall be presented, except as noted in subrule (1) of this

rule:

(a)   Personnel policies, including the facility's personnel policies, job responsibilities,

legal and ethical responsibilities, and   the   importance of the individual's position as a member of the health care team.

(b)     Concepts of care, including physical, psychological, cultural, and social components of care; the impact on the patient of physical  and psychological changes that occur with trauma, the aging process, and developmental disabilities; the legal rights and privileges of patients; and communication techniques necessary to provide care.

(c)   Environment, including what constitutes a  safe  and   comfortable environment for giving care; safety and fire prevention; emergency procedures, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the Heimlich maneuver, and  fire  and  disaster procedures; bed-making and when bed linen should be changed; restraint procedures, including protecting the safety and dignity of the patient; prevention and control of infections; and information necessary to assist the new patient to become aware of the facility's routines and available services.

(d)   Collecting and sharing information, including observation of the individual patient and how to recognize changes from normal; vital signs; reporting and documenting observations; and  medical  terms  and abbreviations necessary for the tasks performed.

(e)   Personal care, including bathing a patient in a safe and dignified manner while encouraging independence; skin care, including preventive and supportive care; routine morning and evening mouth care, hair and nail care; shaving; dressing and undressing, with emphasis on encouraging and maintaining independence; and prosthetic devices used in providing care.

(f)   Nutrition, including the importance of a balanced diet and how to help bring this about; the importance of making meal times a pleasant experience; measuring and recording the patient's food and fluid intake; how to carry out orders to increase or reduce fluid intake, and techniques to assist a patient to eat, with emphasis on encouraging and maintaining independence and dignity.

(g)   Elimination, including encouraging and maintaining independence in toileting; the use of the bed pan and urinal; catheter care; preventing incontinence; prevention of constipation; observation, reporting, and recording of significant information about a patient's urine and stool; perineal care; measuring and recording output; urine testing; and bowel and bladder training.

(h)        Rehabilitation, including principles of rehabilitation; complications of immobility and their prevention; techniques of turning a patient; maintaining proper body alignment; range of motion exercises; the use of ambulation aids, including wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and crutches; transfer techniques; proper body mechanics involved in lifting patients or objects; and use of bed boards, foot boards, foot stools, trochanter rolls, pillows for positioning, bed cradles, slings, splints, lifting equipment, and trapezes.

History: 1981 AACS.