Code of Maryland Regulations
Title 10 - MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Part 1
Subtitle 07 - HOSPITALS
Chapter 10.07.02 - Nursing Homes
Section 10.07.02.63 - Paid Feeding Assistants

Universal Citation: MD Code Reg 10.07.02.63

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 19, September 20, 2024

A. A facility may use a paid feeding assistant who has successfully completed a State-approved training course as described in §E of this regulation.

B. Supervision.

(1) A paid feeding assistant shall work under the supervision of a licensed nurse.

(2) In an emergency, when the resident is fed in the resident's room, a paid feeding assistant shall use the resident call system to call a supervisory nurse for help.

C. A nursing home that uses a paid feeding assistant shall ensure that the paid feeding assistant feeds only residents who do not have complicated feeding conditions including, but not limited to:

(1) Difficulty swallowing;

(2) Choking;

(3) Recurrent lung aspiration; or

(4) Tube or parenteral intravenous feedings.

D. Protocol. The nursing home shall develop a protocol for selecting residents who are appropriate for feeding by a paid feeding assistant. The nursing home shall select eligible residents based on the:

(1) Charge nurse's current assessment of the resident;

(2) The resident's latest Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment; and

(3) The resident's plan of care.

E. State-Approved Training. A State-approved training course for paid feeding assistants shall consist of at least 8 hours of training that includes:

(1) Feeding techniques;

(2) Assistance with feeding and hydration;

(3) Communication and interpersonal skills;

(4) Appropriate responses to resident behavior;

(5) Safety and emergency procedures, including the Heimlich maneuver;

(6) Infection control;

(7) Resident rights;

(8) Recognizing changes in a resident's behavior that are inconsistent with the resident's normal behavior and the importance of reporting these changes to a supervisory nurse; and

(9) Successful completion of a two-part test that includes a:
(a) Written test with a passing score of 80 percent; and

(b) Demonstration of proper feeding skills performed on a resident while being observed.

F. The feeding assistant training may be taught by a:

(1) Registered nurse and supplementary professional instructors;

(2) Licensed dietitian-nutritionist;

(3) Licensed physical therapist;

(4) Licensed speech therapist; or

(5) Licensed occupational therapist.

G. The facility shall maintain a record of all paid feeding assistants who have successfully completed a feeding assistance course.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Maryland may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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