Licensing Nursing Service Agencies (216-RICR-40-10-10)

What this rule requires your agency to do

• 1Nursing assistants rendering services to clients must be supervised by professional (registered) nurses per R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 23-17.9, must be registered with the licensing agency, and an evaluation of employee performance must be performed annually and reviewed with/signed by the employee within 45 days (§§ 10.9.1(B)(3), 10.10.1(C), 10.9.3(A)(1)(a)).(Licensing Nursing Service Agencies (216-RICR-40-10-10))
• 2Personnel files must be maintained for each employee and must include findings of a criminal records check (per R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.7.1-17(e)), evidence of current licensure/certification, records of required health examination, and orientation/evaluation (90-day and annual) and in-service education documentation (§ 10.9.3(B)).(Licensing Nursing Service Agencies (216-RICR-40-10-10))
• 3No person shall establish, conduct, or maintain a nursing service agency without a license; the agency must maintain a licensed central office within Rhode Island and, within 24 months of initial licensure, attain and maintain accreditation from an approved accreditation agency (§ 10.3(A)).(Licensing Nursing Service Agencies (216-RICR-40-10-10))
• 4Upon hire and prior to delivering services, a pre-employment health screening must be conducted for each individual who has or may have direct patient contact, per Part 216-20-15-7; each employee must wear photo identification at all times while working (§§ 10.9.3(C), (A)(2)).(Licensing Nursing Service Agencies (216-RICR-40-10-10))
• 5The agency's maximum rate for services provided to a nursing facility and/or assisted living residence by a nurse or certified nurse shall not exceed 200% of the regional hourly wage of each position (§ 10.9.8); reporting of patient abuse/neglect must be made pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.8-2 (§ 10.9.7).(Licensing Nursing Service Agencies (216-RICR-40-10-10))
• 6A notarized list of direct and indirect owners with percentages of ownership must be provided with the application and updated annually; the license must be kept posted in a conspicuous place on the premises (§§ 10.4(B), 10.5(D)).(Licensing Nursing Service Agencies (216-RICR-40-10-10))
• 7The governing body must acquire and maintain employee bonding insurance (minimum $10,000 per loss), liability insurance (minimum $500,000 per occurrence), and workers' compensation coverage, and must verify currency of employee licensure electronically via the licensing agency's database (§ 10.9.1(A)).(Licensing Nursing Service Agencies (216-RICR-40-10-10))
• 8Criminal records checks must be conducted pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.7.1-17, and the agency is responsible for following disqualifying-information requirements pursuant to § 23-17.7.1-20 (§ 10.9.3(D)).(Licensing Nursing Service Agencies (216-RICR-40-10-10))