Rules and Regulations for Hospices (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-8-37)

What this rule requires your agency to do

• 1Before providing care independently, an RN must observe each personal care aide delivering care and complete an initial competency evaluation for all assigned personal care tasks; an RN must make and document supervisory visits at least every two weeks and complete annual direct-observation competency documentation (Rule .18(5)(b),(d),(e)).(Rules and Regulations for Hospices (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-8-37))
• 2Personal care aides must receive at least 12 hours of continuing education annually regarding applicable aspects of hospice care and services (Rule .18(5)(c)).(Rules and Regulations for Hospices (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-8-37))
• 3Personal care aides must be qualified as Georgia Certified Nursing Aides, have completed a Medicare-certified home health aide training/competency program, or have completed a hospice-provided personal care aide-training program of at least 75 hours (with at least 16 hours supervised practical training and 16 hours classroom before practical training) covering the enumerated subject areas (Rule .18(5)(a)).(Rules and Regulations for Hospices (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-8-37))
• 4The hospice must comply with the Rules and Regulations for Criminal Background Checks (Chapter 111-8-12) for direct access employees and maintain documentation of a satisfactory fingerprint criminal record check in the personnel file (Rule .13(8)).(Rules and Regulations for Hospices (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-8-37))
• 5Where a patient does not have a do-not-resuscitate order, the hospice must ensure all persons providing hands-on care to that patient have current BCLS or CPR certification (Rule .13(3)).(Rules and Regulations for Hospices (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-8-37))
• 6The administrator and each staff member/volunteer with direct patient/family contact must receive an initial and annual health screening by a licensed health care professional sufficient to ensure freedom from communicable diseases (Rule .13(5)).(Rules and Regulations for Hospices (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-8-37))
• 7All persons providing services for a hospice must be qualified by education, training, and experience and must receive orientation covering hospice concepts, patient rights including abuse reporting, and hospice policies including disaster preparedness, fire safety, and reporting abuse and neglect (Rules .13(1)-(2)).(Rules and Regulations for Hospices (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-8-37))
• 8The hospice must have an effective annual training program for all staff and volunteers providing hands-on care addressing infection control, recognizing and reporting abuse and neglect, patient rights, and palliative care (Rule .13(4)).(Rules and Regulations for Hospices (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 111-8-37))