WSR 21-17-079
PERMANENT RULES
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
(Board of Nursing Home Administrators)
[Filed August 12, 2021, 4:07 p.m., effective October 10, 2021]
Effective Date of Rule: October 10, 2021.
Purpose: WAC 246-843-130 Continuing education requirements for nursing home administrators. The board of nursing home administrators is adopting an amendment to permanently allow continuing education credit for pandemic related training and experience and, for a limited time, allow nursing home administrators to attest to such trainings acquired under self-study methods if proof of course completion isn't otherwise provided.
This permanent rule will take effect immediately following the expiration of the existing emergency rule filed under WSR 21-13-044.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-843-130.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW
18.52.061.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 21-09-076 on April 20, 2021.
A final cost-benefit analysis is available by contacting Kendra Pitzler, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone 360-236-4723, fax 360-236-2901, TTY 711, email kendra.pitzler@doh.wa.gov.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: May 27, 2021.
Carl Christensen, Ph.D., RN, Chair
Board of Nursing Home Administrators
OTS-2609.2
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 19-19-050, filed 9/13/19, effective 10/14/19)
WAC 246-843-130Continuing education requirements.
(1) A licensed nursing home administrator shall demonstrate completion of thirty-six hours of continuing education every two years and comply with chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7.
(2) Continuing education approved by the National Continuing Education Review Service (NCERS) is acceptable for continuing education credit.
(3) Continuing education that is not approved by NCERS must meet the following requirements:
(a) The basic methods of continuing education learning are:
(i) Seminars;
(ii) Teleconferencing;
(iii) Webinars; and
(iv) Self-study programs.
(b) Continuing education courses shall consist of a minimum of one hour of instruction. Hours are based upon clock hours and are calculated in half hour increments. College courses are rated at fifteen hours per each semester unit and ten hours per each quarter credit.
(c) Continuing education must relate to nursing home administration, be designed to promote continued knowledge and skills with nursing home administration standards, and improve and enhance professional competencies. Continuing education must fit within the following subjects:
(i) Resident centered care;
(ii) Human resources;
(iii) Finance;
(iv) Environment;
(v) Leadership and management;
(vi) Suicide prevention;
(vii) Cultural competency training;
(viii) Laws relating to Washington state nursing homes;
(ix) Pandemic response and compliance measures. Examples include, but are not limited to, infection control measures, resident engagement, personal protective equipment procurement and training, emergency staffing, writing and updating policies and procedures pertaining to pandemic management, and other pandemic-related training.
(d) The licensee shall retain proof of course completion. To receive full credit, attendees shall attend the full program. The maximum number of hours allowed for continuing education is twelve hours per day.
(e) Until December 31, 2022, licensees due to demonstrate completion of continuing education may accrue up to thirty-six of those hours in pandemic response and compliance measure subjects described in (c)(ix) of this subsection. During this time, if proof of course completion is not provided for pandemic response and compliance measure courses earned under self-study programs as allowed under (a)(iv) of this subsection, the licensee may sign an attestation on a form provided by the department.
(4) Continuing education credit of two hours per month may be granted to a preceptor of an administrator-in-training program.
(5) Continuing education credit of a maximum of two hours per month may be granted for serving as a board member for the board of nursing home administrators.
(6) Within one hundred eighty days after becoming licensed, a nursing home administrator shall attend a board approved course on laws relating to nursing homes in Washington. The board will grant retroactive credit to those licensees who obtain the required training as administrators-in-training under WAC 246-843-090. The state law training course consists of a minimum of a six-hour program, with formal training objectives, that covers the requirements of chapter
18.52 RCW and essential areas of laws that apply to nursing homes regulated by the department of social and health services under chapter 388-97 WAC to include:
(a) Resident services, medical and social;
(b) Resident rights, including resident decision making, informed consent, advance directives and notices to residents;
(c) Enforcement;
(d) Criminal history inquiries;
(e) Differences between federal and state law.