Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1020-01-.06 - PRECEPTORS, ADMINISTRATORS-IN-TRAINING AND ADMINISTRATORS-IN-TRAINING PROGRAMS

A person who intends to qualify for admission to the licensure examination by use of an A.I.T. program must first receive approval to begin the program by complying with rules 1020-01-.07 and 1020-01-.08, and successfully complete the program in a Board approved facility under the coordination, supervision and teaching of a Preceptor who has obtained certification from the Board pursuant to, and continues to meet the qualifications of this rule. The Board will not approve an individual for an A.I.T. program unless the individual is eligible to receive Board approval to take the NAB examination upon completion of the A.I.T. program.

(1) Preceptor - Qualifications for Certification.

(a) The following licensees may apply to receive certification as a Preceptor:

1. Any administrator; or

2. Any assistant administrator; or

3. A multifacility regional administrator. However, the A.I.T. program may be conducted only in facilities over which he or she is the regional administrator.

(b) An applicant must obtain from, complete and submit to the Board Administrative Office an application form along with satisfactory documentation of all the following:

1. Current licensure as a nursing home administrator in Tennessee.

2. One of the following:

(i) Valid licensure and full-time practice as a nursing home administrator for three (3) of the five (5) years immediately preceding application, the final year of practice must have been in Tennessee; or

(ii) Valid licensure as a nursing home administrator and employment as an assistant administrator with at least six (6) years of full-time experience in licensed nursing homes in the ten (10) years immediately preceding application.

3. Successful completion of seventy-two (72) semester hours or its equivalent of college credit. Each one (1) year of full-time experience obtained beyond the three (3) or six (6) year qualifying time period may be substituted for twenty-four (24) semester hours of college credit.

4. Successful completion of a twelve (12) hour Board approved Preceptor Training and Orientation Course. The course must have been completed within the twelve (12) months immediately preceding certification. These hours may be applied to the annual C.E. requirement.

5. Have no formal disciplinary actions taken against the applicant's license within the ten (10) years immediately preceding application which the Board deems to be of such a nature as to prevent the applicant from providing services as a Preceptor.

(c) An applicant must attend an interview conducted by the Board or a Board member for discussion of basic concepts of the Preceptor Program. A major purpose of the interview will be to evaluate the training effectiveness of the preceptor. The Board may require that the interviews be electronically recorded and transcribed so that there will be no misunderstandings when the Board Member makes a presentation to the entire Board.

(d) A preceptor may not supervise more than two (2) A.I.T.'s at one (1) time except by written permission of the Board.

(2) Preceptor - Continued Certification.

(a) To remain certified as a preceptor a licensee must:

1. on or before December 31st of every year after initial certification, successfully complete nine (9) clock hours of Board approved continuing education within the calendar year in addition to the continuing education hours required for licensure renewal pursuant to rule 1020-01-.12. Credit for six (6) hours of continuing education per year shall be given to a preceptor upon the successful completion of an A.I.T. program; and

2. hold an active, current and unrestricted license in Tennessee as a Nursing Home Administrator; or

3. hold an active, current and unrestricted license in another state as a Nursing Home Administrator and submit proof of successful completion of twenty-seven (27) clock hours of NAB-approved continuing education for every year the licensee practiced in another state while his/her Tennessee license was expired or retired. However, the continuing education hours required shall not exceed fifty-four (54) hours.

(b) Failure to provide an A.I.T. an opportunity for adequate training under proper supervision in the administrative and operating activities and functions of a facility shall be grounds for discipline of a Preceptor's certification pursuant to T.C.A. § 63-16-108(a)(1) and rule 1020-01-.15.

(c) Preceptor certification is subject to disciplinary action in the same manner and for the same causes as that for licensees.

(d) When an A.I.T. fails the written licensure examination twice, the preceptor for the A.I.T. may, in the Board's discretion, be required to furnish a written assessment of the reasons for the failure or be required to appear before the Board to make an oral assessment. Failure of a preceptor to provide the written or oral assessment may be grounds for decertification.

(3) Administrator-In-Training Program.

(a) Facilities - Primary training and supervision of an A.I.T. must occur in one primary facility which is approved by the Board. If the Preceptor and the A.I.T. feel it would be beneficial to have certain areas of the training in a facility other than the primary one, the Preceptor shall notify the Board of the areas to be covered, the time to be spent in the secondary facility and the reasons. All facilities to be used must be approved in advance and in writing. The facility must obtain from, complete and submit to the Board Administrative Office an application form and documentation sufficient to show the following:

1. An organizational structure with clearly defined and staffed departments, each with a designated department head. Those departments must include:

(i) Administration;

(ii) Nursing;

(iii) Dietary;

(iv) Social services and activities;

(v) Medical records; and

(vi) Housekeeping, maintenance and laundry.

2. That the administrator serves as the department head of only the administration department of the facility.

3. The absence of outstanding operational deficiencies.

4. The most recent facility licensure survey and the plan of correction in response thereto.

(b) A.I.T. Program - Structure and Content. The A.I.T. programs must be conducted in Board approved facilities. The Preceptor must be either the administrator, assistant administrator or regional administrator of the primary facility. The program must comply with the following:

1. Prior to commencement of the A.I.T. program, a form must be obtained from, completed and submitted to the Board Administrative Office which contains all the following:

(i) Approval of the preceptor by the A.I.T. as evidenced by signature of both the Preceptor and A.I.T.;

(ii) The beginning date of the program;

(iii) The dates on which required reports are to be filed; and

(iv) The anticipated date of the A.I.T.'s completion of the program.

2. The A.I.T. program shall cover a period of at least six (6) months during which period the A.I.T. shall devote full time and effort toward completion of the program. Should the A.I.T. spend less than full time, thus requiring more than six (6) months to complete, there must be prior written approval of the Board. The reasons for the delay shall be explained in writing by the Preceptor. Under no circumstances shall the program extend beyond one (1) year.

3. The preceptor and the A.I.T. shall spend a minimum of four (4) hours per week in orientation, direct instruction, planning and evaluation. The minimum four (4) hours per week of training must occur in person in the facility or facilities approved by the Board for that individual's A.I.T. program.

4. It shall be the responsibility of the preceptor to continually evaluate the development and experience of the A.I.T. to determine specific areas needed for concentration.

5. A preceptor shall use the Board approved workbook as the basic guide. There shall be a pre-training assessment. If deemed advisable, additional material may be added to the basic guide to individually meet the needs of the A.I.T. While the basic guide may be expanded, no areas of the basic guide may be omitted.

6. The preceptor and the A.I.T. shall submit reports on Board provided forms according to the following schedule:

(i) Every two (2) months after its commencement; and

(ii) A final report shall be submitted which contains a recommendation on licensure from the preceptor.

(c) General Rules for A.I.T. Programs.

1. Change of Preceptor.

(i) If the approved preceptor is unable, for any reason, to fulfill the approved program of an A.I.T., a new preceptor shall be obtained as soon as possible, but no more than sixty (60) days from the date the A.I.T. first obtained knowledge that the training under the previous preceptor would be discontinued. In special circumstances the Board, upon application, may authorize additional time in which a new preceptor may be secured.

(ii) In the event an A.I.T. desires to secure a preceptor different from the one approved by the Board, the new preceptor and the A.I.T. shall notify the Board stating the reasons. New agreement forms shall be completed, signed by the new preceptor and the A.I.T., and be submitted to the Board Administrative Office for approval prior to continuing training.

2. It shall be the duty of both the preceptor and the A.I.T. to notify the Board if the A.I.T. drops out of the program.

Notes

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1020-01-.06

Original rule certified June 7, 1974. Amendment filed November 12, 1982; effective December 13, 1982. Amendment filed February 3, 1983; effective March 7, 1983. Amendment filed April 19, 1984; effective May 19, 1984. Amendment filed February 23, 1987; effective April 9, 1987. Amendment filed October 22, 1987; effective December 6, 1987. Amendment filed January 4, 1989; effective February 18, 1989. Amendment filed August 14, 1989; effective September 28, 1989. Amendment filed September 8, 1989; effective October 23, 1989. Amendment filed February 21, 1991; effective April 7, 1991. Repeal and new rule filed December 17, 1991; effective January 31, 1992. Repeal and new rule filed December 14, 1999; effective February 27, 2000. Amendment filed January 19, 2001; effective April 5, 2001. Amendment filed September 4, 2003; effective November 18, 2003. Amendment filed December 9, 2005; effective February 22, 2006. Amendment filed July 27, 2006; effective October 10, 2006. Amendment filed December 13, 2012; effective March 13, 2013. Amendments filed June 9, 2016; effective 9/7/2016.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 4-5-204, 63-16-103, 63-16-104, 63-16-106, 63-16-107, and 63-16-109.