Student qualification for employment as a nurse aide. (FE)

What it does

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current administrative rules promulgated by the Department of Health Services with respect to employment of nurse aides, a student enrolled in an approved nurse aide training program who has completed 16 hours of classroom training in certain required topics may be employed by a health care provider as a nurse aide if the student is a full-time permanent employee. This bill requires that, subject to any necessary federal approval, DHS allow a hospital, nursing home, intermediate care facility for persons with an intellectual disability, home health agency, or hospice to employ or contract for the services of students enrolled in an approved nurse aide program as a nurse aide, if the individual is employed part-time as a nurse's assistant, home health aide, or hospice aide fewer than 120 days, and has a preceptor. As for students under current law, a student allowed to be employed or contracted as a nurse aide under the bill may perform only services for which he or she has received training and has been found proficient by an instructor under the instructional program. In addition, as under current law, a hospital, nursing home, home health agency, hospice, or intermediate care facility for persons with an intellectual disability employing or contracting a student under the provisions of the bill may not include that individual in meeting or complying with a requirement for nursing care staff and functions, including a minimum nursing staff requirement.

The bill requires that an individual employed or contracted as a nurse aide must pass a Wisconsin-approved nurse aide competency evaluation examination within 120 calendar days of the start of the individual's part-time employment as a nurse aide or may not continue to be employed or contracted as a nurse aide.

Who's behind it

4 senators are its authors⁠. All 4 are Republicans.

15 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

What it would cost

State agencies filed a cost estimate. Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

• Fiscal Estimate From DHS