AB 249

Current law provides that, with certain exceptions, no hospital, nursing home,

intermediate care facility for persons with an intellectual disability, home health

agency, or hospice (health facility) may employ the services of a nurse aide unless the

individual has successfully completed an instructional program and a competency

evaluation program that are approved by the Department of Health Services (DHS).

A nurse aide is defined as an individual who performs routine patient care duties

that are delegated by a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse who supervises

the individual, for the direct health care of a patient or resident. Current law

requires DHS to promulgate rules that establish standards for the approval of nurse

aide instructional programs and competency evaluation programs and requires DHS

to approve programs that meet those standards.

This bill permits DHS to approve instructional programs for nurse aides that

allow an individual who has successfully completed an instructional program for

nurse aides in another state to receive instruction that, when combined with the

instructional program in the other state, will result in the individual having received

substantially the same instruction as an individual who successfully completes an

instructional program approved by DHS under current law (bridge program). As

under current law and subject to the same exceptions, an individual who successfully

completes a bridge program must successfully complete a competency evaluation

program approved by DHS in order to work in a health facility.