Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 9, September, 2024
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR
PRIVATE CARE AGENCIES IN ARKANSAS
ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 1999
(Pursuant to Act 1537 of 1999, Section 133)
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR
PRIVATE CARE AGENCIES IN ARKANSAS
ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 1999
I PREFACE
These rules and regulations have been prepared for the purpose
of establishing a criterion for minimum standards for the licensure of Private
Care Agencies providing weekend Medicaid Personal Care in Arkansas. By
necessity they are of a regulatory nature but are considered to be practical
minimal design and operational standards for these facilities. These standards
are not static and are subject to periodic revisions in the future as new
knowledge and changes in patient care trends become apparent. However, it is
expected that facilities will exceed these minimum requirements and that they
will not be dependent upon future revisions in these standards as a necessary
prerequisite for improved services. Each Home Health Agency has a strong moral
responsibility for providing optimum patient care and treatment for the
patients it serves.
II
AUTHORITY
The following Rules and Regulations for Private Care Agencies
in Arkansas are duly adopted and promulgated by the Arkansas State Board of
Health pursuant to the authority expressly conferred by the laws of the State
of Arkansas in Act 1537 of 1999, Section 133.
III PURPOSE
In accordance with Act 1537 of 1999, Section 133, rules,
regulations and minimum standards for Private Care Agencies operating in the
State of Arkansas are hereby established. These rules will ensure high quality
professional care for patients in their home by providing for the safe,
appropriate care of all admitted to a private care agency's program regardless
of setting and shall apply to both new and existing agencies.
IV DEFINITIONS
The following words and terms,when used in these sections,;
shall have the stated meanings, unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise:
1. Administrator-A person
who is an agency employee and is a physician, registered nurse, or an
individual with at least one year of supervisory or administrative experience
in home health care or in related health provider programs.
2. Assistance with Medication-Ancillary aid
needed by a patient to self-administer medication, such as reminding a patient
to take a medication at the prescribed time, opening and closing a medication
container, and returning a medication to the proper storage area. Such
ancillary aid shall not include administration of any medication by injection,
inhalation, ingestion, or any other means, calculation of a patient's
medication dosage, or altering the form of the medication by crushing,
dissolving, or any other method.
3.
Branch Office-A location or site from which an private care agency provides
services within a portion of the total geographic area served by the primary
agency. The branch office is part of the primary agency and is located
sufficiently close (within a 50 mile radius) to share administrative
supervision and services in a manner that renders it unnecessary to obtain a
separate license as a home health agency. A branch office shall have at least
one registered nurse assigned to that office on a full time basis. The
registered nurse may be an employee or a contracted individual.
4. Clinical Note-A dated, written or
electronic and signed notation by agency personnel of a contact with a patient
including a description of signs and symptoms, treatment and/or medication
given, the patient's response, other health services provided, and any changes
in physical and/or emotional condition. -
5. Clinical Record-An accurate account of
services provided for each patient and maintained by the agency in accordance
with accepted medical standards.
6.
Contractor-An entity or individual providing services for the agency who does
not meet the definition of employee.
7. Coordinating-Bringing needed services into
a common action, movement or condition for the health of the patient.
8. Department-The Arkansas Department of
Health, Division of Health Facility Services.
9. Director-The Director of the Division of
Health Facility Services-Arkansas Department of Health.
10. Discharge Surrrmary-A recapitulation of
all services provided by the private care agency before discharge of a
patient.
11. Division-The Division
of Health Facility Services of the Arkansas Department of Health.
12. Employee-Any individual for whom the
agency is required to issue a form W-2.
13. Geographic Area-The land area, for which
the agency shall be licensed, consisting of not more than a 50 mile radius
surrounding the private care agency's primary location.
14. Health-The condition of being sound in
body, mind and spirit, especially freedom from physical disease or
pain.
15. Health Assessment-A
determination of a patient's physical and mental status performed by medical
professionals.
16. Personal Care
Aide-A person who provides personal care/personal services for a person in the
home under the supervision of a registered nurse.
17. Maintenance-To keep in an existing
state.
18. Parent Agency-The agency
physically located within the state that develops and maintains administrative
control of branches.
19. Patient
Care Conference-A documented conference among the agency staff or contractors
providing care to a patient to evaluate patient care needs and the delivery of
service.
20. Personal Care-Health
related assistance in activities of daily living, hygiene and grooming for the
sick or debilitated.
21.
Physician-A person who is currently licensed under the Arkansas Medical
Practices Act.
22. Place of
Business-Arty office of a private care agency that maintains patient records or
directs services. This shall include a suboffice, a branch office, or any other
subsidary location.
23. Plan of
Care-A written plan which specifies scope, frequency and duration of services
that is signed by a physician.
24.
Preventive-To keep from happening or existing.
25. Primary Agency-The agency physically
located within the state responsible for the service rendered to patients and
for implementation of the plan of care.
26. Private Care Agency-providers licensed by
the Department of Labor as of January 1, 1999, certified as ElderChoices
Providers as of January 1, 1999 and who furnish in-home staffing services for
respite, chore services, and homemaker services and carrying liability
insurance of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) covering their
employees and independent contractors while they are engaged in providing
services, such as personal care respite, chore services, and homemaker
services.
27. Quality of
Care-Clinically competent care which meets professional standards, supported
and directed in a planned pattern to achieve maximum dignity at the required
level of comfort, preventive health measures and self management.
28. Registered Nurse-A person who is
currently licensed under the laws of Arkansas to use the title, Registered
Nurse.
29. Rehabiiitative-To
restore or bring to a condition of health or useful and constructive
activity.
30. Residence-A place
where a person resides, including a home, nursing home, residential care
facility or convalescent home for the disabled or aged.
31. Restorative-Something that serves to
restore to consciousness, vigor or health.
32. Service Area-The land area for which the
agency shall be licensed, which shall be consistent with their Certification of
Need (CON) or Permit of Approval (POA), if one is required, but in no case
shall the service area consist of more than a 50 mile radius from the agency's
primary location.
33.
Supervision-Authoritative procedural guidance by a qualified person for the
accomplishment of a function or activity with initial direction and periodic
inspection of the actual act of accomplishing the function or activity.
V UNREGULATED AGENCY
A. No Private Care Agency shall provide
personal care services in the State of Arkansas without a licensed fully
operational physical location within the State. The authority is vested with
the Director to determine if an agency is subject to regulation under the
statute and is inherent in the responsibility to regulate agencies that are
within the definitions of Act 1537, Section 133.
VI APPLICATION FOR LICENSE
A. Annual license applications for a Private
Care Agency shall be on forms prescribed by the Department and shall be
effective on a calendar year basis with an expiration date of December
31.
B. Each agency shall receive a
license for Medicaid Personal Care - Weekends Only.
C. No license shall be transferred from one
entity to another. If a person, partnership, organization or corporation is
considering acquisition of a private care agency, in order to insure continuity
of patient services, the entity shall submit a license application at ieast 60
days prior to the acquisition for each place of business.
D. No license shall be transferred from one
location to another without prior approval from the Division as provided in
this subsection. If an agency is considering relocation, the agency shall
complete and submit a form provided by the Division 30 days prior to the
intended relocation.
1. A relocation shall be
approved by the Division if the new location is within the existing service
area.
2. All other relocations
shall not be approved, and the licensee shall submit a new application for a
license.
E. The agency
shall notify the Division of any of the following:
1. Notification of termination of provision
of services;
2. Any change in
telephone number;
3. Any name
changes in the agency within five working days after the effective date of the
name change; and
4. Address
changes.
VII
INSPECTIONS
A. An onsite inspection shall
determine if standards for licensure are being met before the initial license
is issued.
B. Once the initial
inspection is conducted and the agency becomes licensed, subsequent inspections
shall be conducted on an every year or every two year basis. Agencies which are
placed on a yearly cycle will be those meeting one or more of the following
provisions:
1. Agencies which have been
licensed for less than three years;
2. Agencies which have had a change of
ownership or a significant change in management staff;
3. Agencies who have had a substantiated
complaint since the last Inspection;
4. Agencies which received deficiencies
during the last inspection.
Agencies not meeting any of the above provisions shall be
placed on a two year survey cycle.
C. If the inspection is conducted in order to
determine compliance with standards, the agency shall come into compliance
within 60 days. An onsite follow-up visit or a foliow-up by mail shall be
conducted to determine if deficiencies have been corrected. If the agency fails
to comply, the Director may propose to suspend or revoke the license in
accordance with the section relating to License Denial, Suspension, or
Revocation.
VIII DENIAL,
SUSPENSION, REVOCATION OF LICENSE
A. The
Division may deny issuing a license to an agencyif the agency fails to comply
with these rules.
B. The Division
may suspend the license of an agency for one or more of the following reasons:
1. Violation of the provisions of the statute
or of any of the standards In these rules;
2. Misstatement of a material fact on any
documents required to be submitted to the Division or requirements to be
maintained by the agency pursuant to these rules;
3. Commission by the agency or its personnel
of a false, misleading, or deceptive act or practice;
4. Materially altering any license issued by
the Department.
C. The
Division may revoke the license of an agency for one or more of the following
reasons:
1. A repeat violation within a 12
month period which resulted in a license suspension;
2. An intentional or negligent act by the
agency or its employees which materially affects the health and safety of a
patient.
D. If the
Director of the Division of Health Facility Services of the Department proposes
to deny, suspend, or revoke a license, the Director shall notify the agency of
the reasons for the proposed action and offer the agency an opportunity for a
hearing. The agency may request a hearing within 30 days after the date the
agency receives notice. The request shall be in writing and submitted to the
Director, Division of Health Facility Services, Arkansas Department of Health,
5800 West Tenth, Suite 400, Little Rock, Arkansas 72204. A hearing shall be
conducted pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act. If the agency does not
request a hearing in writing after receiving notice of the proposed action, the
agency is deemed to have waived the opportunity for a hearing and the proposed
action shall be taken.
E. The
Division may suspend or revoke a license to be effective immediately when the
health and safety of patients are threatened. The Division shall notify the
agency of the emergency action and shall notify the agency of the date of a
hearing, which shall be within seven days of the effective date of the
suspension or revocation. The hearing shall be conducted pursuant to the
Administrative Procedures Act.
IX BRANCH OFFICES
A. The agency shall notify the Department in
writing in advance of the plan to establish a branch office. Included in the
notification shall be a description of the services to be provided (must be the
same as the parent agency), the geographic area to be served by the branch
office and a description of exactly how supervision by the parent agency will
occur. All branch offices shall be subject to approval by the Division. Once
the agency receives approval by the Division to establish the requested branch
office the agency shall notify the Division of the branch office address,
telephone number, and the name of the registered nurse supervisor.
B. Onsite supervision of the branch office
shall be conducted by the parent/primary agency at least every two months. The
supervisory visits shall be documented and include the date of the visit, the
content of the consultation, the individuals in atteridancerahdtheTecom the
staff. In addition, branch supervision shall include clinical record review of
the branch records, inclusion in the agency's quality assurance activities,
meetings with the branch supervisor, and home visits.
C. A full-time registered nurse shall be
assigned to the branch office and shall be available during all operating
hours.
D. All admissions shall be
coordinated through the parent/primary agency and a current roster of patients
shall be maintained by the parent agency at all times.
E. A branch office shall offer the same
services as those offered by the parent/primary agency.
XI GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
A. Operational Policies
1. The agency shall have a written plan of
operation including:
a. Organizational chart
showing ownership and lines of authority down to the patient care
level;
b. The services offered,
including hours of operation and lines of delegation of responsibility down to
the patient care level;
c. Criteria
for patient acceptance, referral, transfer and termination;
d. Evidence of direct administrative and
supervisory control and responsibility for all services including services
provided by branch offices;
e. An
annual operating budget approved bythe governing body;
f. Written contingency plan in the event of
dissolution of the agency.
2. Policies shall be developed and enforced
by the agency and include the following:
a.
Orientation of all personnel to the policies and objectives of the
agency;
b. Participation by all
employees and/or contracted individuals in appropriate staff development
programs, including a specific policy on the number of in service hours that
will be required for registered nurses and aides;
c. Periodic evaluation of agency staff and/or
contracted individuals' performance;
d. Personnel policies;
e. Patient care policies;
f. Disciplinary actions and
procedures;
g. Job description
(statement of those functions which constitute job requirements) and job
qualifications (specific education and training necessary to perform the job)
for each position with the agency; and
h. infection control policies including the
prevention of the spread of infectious and communicable diseases from agency
staff and/or individuals providing services to ciients.
3. A personnel record shall be maintained for
each employee and/or contracted individual. A personnel record shall include,
but not be limited to, the following: job description; qualifications;
application for employment; verification of licensure, permits, references, job
experience, and educational requirements as appropriate; performance
evaluations and disciplinary actions; and letters of commendation. All
information shall be kept current. In lieu of the job description and
qualifications for employment, the personnel record may include a statement
signed by the employee and/or contracted individual that the person has read
the job description and qualifications for the position accepted.
4. It shall be the responsibility of the
administration to establish written policies concerning pre-service physicals
and the health of employees and/or contracted individuals. The policies shall
include but not be limited to:
a. Each
employee and/or contracted individual shall have an up-to-date health
file;
b. At a minimum, each
employee shall be tested or evaluated annually for tuberculosis in accordance
wjth the applicable section of the Tuberculosis Manual of the Arkansas
Department of Health;
c. Work
restrictions shall be placed on employees and/or contracted individuals who are
known to be affected with any disease in a communicable stage or to be a
carrier of such disease, to be afflicted with boils, jaundice, infected wounds,
diarrhea or acute respiratory infections. Such individuals shall not work in
any area in any capacity in which there is the likelihood of transmitting
disease to patients, agency personnel or other individuals within the home or a
potential of contaminating food, food contact surfaces, supplies or any surface
with pathogenic organisms;
d. Other
tests shall be performed as required by agency
policy.
B.
Governing Body
1.The governing body, or a
committee designated by the g of the agency shall establish a mechanism to:
a. Approve a quality assurance plan whereby
problems are identified, monitored and corrected;
b. Adopt and periodically review written
bylaws or an acceptable equivalent;
c. Approve written policies and procedures
related to safe, adequate services and operation of the agency with annual or
more frequent review by administrative or supervisory personnel;
d. Appoint an administrator and approve a
plan for an alternate in the absence of the administrator;
e. Oversee the management and fiscal affairs
of the agency;
f. Approve a method
of obtaining regular reports on participant satisfaction.
2. The governing board shall insure the
agency has an administrator who is an employee of the agency or related
institution to:
a. Organize and direct the
agency's ongoing functions;
b.
Maintain an ongoing liaison between the governing body and the
personnel;
c. Ensure all persons
providing services on behalf of the agency are qualified and receive ongoing
education:
d. Ensure the accuracy
of public information materials and activities;
e. Implement a budgeting and accounting
system; and f. Ensure the presence of an alternate administrator to act in the
administrator's absence.
3. The governing board shall be responsible
for ensuring the agency has a full-time supervising registered nurse to
supervise clinical services. Full-time shall be according to established
business hours of the agency. The administrator and supervising nurse may be
the same individual.
4. If a
licensed agency contracts with another entity for services, the governing body
shall ensure that administration, patient management and supervision down to
the patient care level are ultimately the responsibility of the licensed
agency.
C. Services
Provided by Contractors
For Private Care Agencies arranging for services to be provided
by independent contractors or other entities there must be a written agreement
which specifis the following:
1. All
referrals are through the primary agency and patients are accepted for care
only by the primary agency;
2. The
services to be provided;
3. A
contracted entity or contracted individual conforms to all applicable agency
policies, ihcluciing those'described in Section AZ;
4. The primary agency is responsible for
reviewing, approving and assuring the implementation of the plan of
treatment;
5. The manner in which
services will be controlled, coordinated and evaluated by the primary
agency;
6. The procedures for
submitting medical record documentation and scheduling of staff;
7. The procedure for how changes in the aide
care plan will be communicated between the contracted individual or entity;
and
8. The procedures for
determining charges and reimbursement
D. Quality Improvement
1. An agency shall adopt, implement and
enforce a policy on a quality improvement program which provides for
accountability and desired outcomes.
2. Those responsible for the quality
improvement program shall:
a. Implement and
report on activities and mechanisms for monitoring the quality of
care;
b. Identify, and when
possible, resolve problems; and
c.
Make suggestions for improving care.
3. As part of the quality improvement program
a clinical record review shall be conducted at least quarterly by appropriate
professionals. A minimum of ten percent of both active and closed records shall
be reviewed or a minimum often records per quarter if the case load is less
than 99. The purpose of the clinical record review is to evaluate all services
provided for consistency with professional practice standards for private care
agencies and the agency's policies and procedures, compliance with the plan of
care, the appropriateness, effectiveness and adequacy of the services offered,
and evaluations of anticipated patient outcomes. Evaluations shall be based on
specific record review criteria that jre consistent with the agency's admission
policies and other agency specific care policies and procedures.
E. Patient Rights
1. The agency shall provide each patient and
family with a copy of the Bill of Rights affirming the patient's right to:
a. Be informed of the services offered by the
agency and those being provided to the patient;
b. Participate in the development of the plan
of care and to be informed of the dates and approximate time of
service;
c. Receive an explanation
of any responsibilities the participant may have in the care process;
d. Be informed of the name of agency and how
to contact that agency during all hoursi"of operation;
e. Be informed of the process for submitting
and addressing complaints to the agency and be notified of the State Home
Health Hotline number;
f. Be
informed orally and in writing of any charges which insurance might not cover
and for which the patient would be responsible;
g. Courteous and respectful treatment,
privacy and freedom from abuse and discrimination;
h. Confidential management of participant
records and information;
i. Access
information in the participant's own record upon request; and
j. Receive prior notice and an explanation
for the reasons of termination, referral, transfer, discontinuance of service
or change in the plan of care.
2. The agency shall provide each patient and
family with a written list of responsibilities affirming the patient's
responsibility to:
a. Assist in developing
and maintaining a safe environment;
b. Treat all agency staff with courtesy and
respect;
c. Participate in the
development and update of the plan of care;
d. Adhere to the plan of care or services as
developed by the agency and to assist in the care as
necessary.
F.
Advance Directives
1. The agency shall have
written policies and procedures regarding advance directives.
2. The agency shall inform and distribute
written information to each patient on the initial evaluation visit concerning
its policies on advance directives. Written information shall include notifying
patients of their right to:
a. Make decisions
about their medical care;
b. Accept
or refuse medical or surgical treatment; and
c. Formulate, at the individual's option, an
advance directive.
3.
The agency shall document in the patient's medical record whether he or she has
executed an advance directive.
G. Services Provided
All services shall be rendered and supervised by qualified
personnel. A Private Care Agency shall provide Persona! Care Services on
weekends only. A personal care aide shall be employed by or under contract to
provide aide services. The aide shall be supervised by a registered nurse at
least every 62 days.
If a patient is receiving services from another agency Monday
thru Friday the private care agency must coordinate the services being provided
in order that services are consistent. There must be documentation of
communication between the home health and PrivateCareAgency.
H. Personal Care Aide Services
1. Each personal care aide shall meet at
least one of the following requirements:
a.
Have at least one year of experience in an institutional setting (ftome health
agency, hospital, hospice, or long-term care facility). This experience shall
be verified by a previous employer;
b. Have a certificate issued by the State of
Arkansas for working in long-term care facilities. A copy of this certificate
shall be available for review;
c.
Have completed a 40 hour aide training course that meets requirments set forth
in these
NOTE: In lieu of the requirement for completion of the home
health aide training course, a nursing student may qualify as a home health
aide by submitting documentation from the Director of programs and/or the Dean
of a School of Nursing that states that the nursing student has demonstrated
competency in providing basic nursing care in accordance with the school's
curriculum.
2.
The agency is responsible for evaluating the competency of any aide who has not
been employed as an aide in an institutional setting in the last 24 months. At
a minimum, the aide shall be observed by a registered nurse performing the
skills required to care for a patient Including bathing, transferring, range of
motion exercises, toileting, dressing, nail care and skin care. The registered
nurse shall observe the aide performing these skills on a person. Any other
tasks or duties for which the aide may be responsible may be evaluated by
written test, oral test or observation. There shall be documentation by the
agency to show evidence of this evaluation.
3. A registered nurse shall complete an aide
assignment sheet for each patient receiving aide services. Each aide caring for
the patient shall receive a copy of the assignment sheet and provide services
as assigned. A copy of the assignment sheet shall be left in the patient's
home.
4. Each aide assignment sheet
shall be individualized and specific according to the patient's needs
5. The registered nurse shall conduct a visit
to the patient's place of residence at least every 62 days to supervise the
aide and update the aide assignment sheet.
6. In no event shall a personal care aide be
assigned to receive or reduce to writing orders from a physician. A home health
aide shall not perform any sterile procedure or any procedure requiring the
application of medication requiring a prescription.
7. Upon a request by a patient and/or family
member for assistance with medications, the registered nurse may assign a home
health aide to assist with oral medications which are normally
self-administered. Assistance shall be limited to reminding a patient to take a
medication at a prescribed time, opening and closing a medication container and
returning a medication to a proper storage area.
8. Except as otherwise provided in these
rules, duties of the home health aide may include:
a. Personal care: bathing, grooming, feeding,
ambulation, exercise, oral hygiene, and skin care;
b. Assistance with medications ordinarily
self-administered as assigned;
c.
Household services essential to health care in the home;
d. Completion of records and reporting to
appropriate supervisor;
e. Charting
intake and output; and
f. Any duty
consistent with the State Board of Nursing Regulations on Delegation of Duties
may be assigned by a registered nurse to meet the individual needs of the
patient.
9. If the
training is provided by the agency, the training program for personal care
aides shall be conducted under the supervision of a registered nurse. The
training program may contain other aspects of learning, but shall include the
following:
a. A minimum of 40 hours of
classroom and clinical instruction related particularly to the home health
setting;
b. Written course
objectives with expected outcomes and methods of evaluation; and
c. An assessment that the student knows how
to read and write English and to carry out directions.
10. Course and clinical work content shall
include, but not be limited to, bathing, ambulation and exercise, personal
grooming, principles of nutrition and meal preparation, health conditions,
developmental stages and mental status, household services essential to health
care at home, assistance with medication, safety in the home, completion of
appropriate records and reporting changes to appropriate supervisor.
11. Aides shall receive a minimum of 12 hours
of inservice training per 12 months. The inservices provided shall address
areas that directly relate to the patient care aspects of the aide's
job.
I. Records and
Documentation
1. The private care agency
shall maintain records which are orderly, intact, legibly written and available
and retrievable either in the agency or by electronic means and suitable for
photocopying or printing.
2.
Records shall be stored in a manner which:
a.
Prevents loss or manipulation of information;
b. Protects"the record from damage;
and
c. Prevents access by
unauthorized persons.
3.
Records shall be retained for a minimum of five years after discharge of the
patient or two years after the age of majority.
4. Each record shall include:
a. Appropriate identifying
information;
b. Initial assessment
(performed by a registered nurse;
c. Plan of care (which shall include as
applicable, medication, dietary, treatment, activities);
d. Clinical notes; and
e. Acknowledgment of receiving information
regarding advance directives.
5. The following shall be included, if
applicable:
a. Physician orders;
b. Records of supervisory visits;
c. Records of case conferences; and
d. Discharge summary.
6. Clinical notes are to be written the day
the service is rendered and incorporated into the record no less often than
every 14 days.
7. Provisions shall
be made for the protection of records in the event an agency ceases
operation.
J. Discharge
Planning
There shall be a specific plan for discharge in the clinical
record and there must be ongoing discharge planning with the patient.
K. Complaints
Each agency shall keep a record of complaints received.
Documentation shall be kept on each complaint regarding the name of the
complainant, the relationship to the patient (if applicable), the nature of the
complaint, and the action taken to resolve the
complaint.
XI
STANDARDS FOR PERSONAL CARE SERVICES
A. The
registered nurse shall perform an initial evaluation visit within five days of
a specific request for personal care aide services.
B. If the agency cannot perform an initial
evaluation visit within five days of a specific request for services, there
shall be documentation regarding the reason, the anticipated date the
evaluation will be conducted, and notification of the patient regarding when
the evaluation will be performed.
C. If the agency does not have services
available at the time of the initial evaluation, the agency shall explain this
to the patient. If the agency cannot staff the case within two weeks of the
initial evaluation, the agency shall be responsible for contacting other
agencies in the area to determine if services are available. If another agency
can provide the services in a srTorter length of time, the patient shall be
informed and given the choice of changing agencies.
D. If an aide misses a scheduled visit, there
shall be documentation that the patient was contacted prior to the missed
visit. Every attempt shall be made to send a substitute aide to provide the
care.
E. For individuals receiving
personal care services only, the agency is not required to have the plan of
care signed by a physician, unless otherwise required by other agencies or
laws. However, a plan of care shall be developed outlining the scope, frequency
and duration of services.
F. If
care is ordered per hour, the aide shall document the time the aide arrived at
the home and the time the aide departed.
G. Each aide shall document each visit the
tasks that were performed. If a task is not completed that is specifically
ordered on the aide assignment sheet, there shall be a documented reason why.
Patient care problems noted by the aide during the course of care shall be
reported to the registered nurse.
H. The registered nurse shall make a visit to
each patient's home at least every 62 days to supervise aide services. A
registered nurse shall be available for consultation during operating
hours.