New regulations enhance nursing home staff – Across The Nation
Washington, DC — The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced new regulations that would allow trained assistants to help nursing home residents without complicated feeding problems to eat and drink.
“Nursing homes will now be able to free their nurses and nurse aides to help them focus on their residents” other health care needs and on those residents with complex feeding problems,” HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said in a statement. “This memos that residents will be able to receive better nutrition and care.”
Nursing homes will be able to hire trained feeding assistants who have successfully completed a state-approved course of at least eight hours’ duration. The use of these assistants must be consistent with state law.
The regulations were published as a final rule in the September 26 Federal Register. (US Department of Health and Human Services)
COPYRIGHT 2003 Clinicians Publishing Group
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group
