Utah Admin. Code R432-153-9 - Staff and Personnel

(1) Direct-care personnel shall be on the facility premises 24 hours a day to meet clients' needs as determined by the clients' assessment and service agreements.

(a) The administrator shall develop job descriptions for each position, including job title, job summary, responsibilities, qualifications, required skills and licenses, and physical requirements.

(b) The administrator shall ensure all personnel are icensed, certified, or registered as required by the Utah Department of Commerce. A copy of the license, certification or registration shall be maintained for Department review.

(2) The facility shall maintain staffing records for the preceding 12 months.

(3) The facility shall establish a personnel health program through written personnel health policies and procedures.

(4) The facility shall complete a health evaluation and inventory for each employee upon hire. The health inventory shall obtain at least the employee's history of the following:

(a) conditions that predispose the employee to acquiring or transmitting infectious diseases;

(b) conditions that may prevent the employee from performing certain assigned duties satisfactorily; and

(c) health screening and immunizations.

(5) Employee skin testing by the Mantoux method or other Food and Drug Administration approved in-vitro serologic test and follow up for tuberculosis shall be done in accordance with Section R388-804, Special Measures for the Control of Tuberculosis.

(a) The licensee shall ensure that each employee is skin-tested for tuberculosis within two weeks of:

(i) initial hiring;

(ii) suspected exposure to a person with active tuberculosis; and

(iii) development of symptoms of tuberculosis.

(b) Skin testing shall be exempted for each employee with known positive reactions to skin tests.

(6) The facility director of nursing shall report any infection and communicable disease reportable by law to the local health department in accordance with Section R386-702-3.

(7) Each employee shall receive documented orientation to the facility and the job for which they are hired. Orientation shall include the following:

(a) job description;

(b) ethics, confidentiality and client rights;

(c) fire and disaster plan;

(d) policy and procedures; and

(e) reporting responsibility for abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

(8) Each employee shall receive documented in-service training. The training shall be tailored to annually include the following subjects that are relevant to the employees' job responsibilities:

(a) fire prevention;

(b) review and drill of emergency procedures and evacuation plan;

(c) the reporting of client abuse, neglect, or exploitation to the proper authorities;

(d) prevention and control of infections;

(e) accident prevention and safety procedures, including instruction in body mechanics for each employee required to lift, turn, position or ambulate clients;

(f) proper use and documentation of restraints;

(g) client rights;

(h) a basic understanding of the various types of mental illness, including symptoms, expected behaviors and intervention approaches;

(i) confidentiality of client information;

(j) first aid; and

(k) prevention and control of infections.

(9) Any person who provides nursing care activities, including nurse aides, shall work under the supervision of an RN or LPN and shall demonstrate competency and dependability in client care.

(10) Personnel who provide care to clients shall be certified nurse aides or complete a state-certified nurse aide program within four months of the date of hire.

(11) There shall always be one staff person on duty that has current training in basic first aid, the Heimlich maneuver, certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency procedures to ensure that each client receives prompt first aid as needed.

(12) The facility may utilize volunteers in activities in the facility, provided that volunteers are not included in the facility's staffing plan in lieu of facility employees. Volunteers shall be supervised and familiar with clients' rights and the facility's policies and procedures.

(13) An employee who reports suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation may not be subject to retaliation, disciplinary action or termination by the facility for making the report.

(14) The facility shall develop and implement policies and procedures governing an infection control program to protect clients, family and personnel; that includes appropriate task related employee infection control procedures and practices.

Notes

Utah Admin. Code R432-153-9

Adopted by Utah State Bulletin Number 2022-07, effective 3/10/2022