Source: http://regulations.delaware.gov/register/july2005/final/9%20DE%20Reg%20104%2007-01-05.htm
Timestamp: 2017-12-16 12:50:27
Document Index: 347372395

Matched Legal Cases: ['§5204', '§5212', '§ 5201', '§5200', '§920', '§1471', '§4753', '§8713', '§2402', '§2403', '§2412', '§2422', '§8561', '§8562']

9 DE Reg 104 07-01-05
Section 5204(1) (24 Del.C. §5204(1))
After due notice in the Register of Regulations and two Delaware newspapers, a public hearing was held on January 11, 2005 at a scheduled meeting of the Delaware Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators to receive comments regarding proposed Regulation 24.0. The proposed regulation identifies crimes substantially related to the practice of nursing home administration as mandated by SB 229 enacted by the 142nd General Assembly. The proposed regulation was published in the Register of Regulations, Vol. 8, Issue 6, December 1, 2004.
As the result of the comments received on January 11, 2005, the Board decided to review the proposed regulation further. A revised list of related crimes was developed at subsequent Board meetings held on January 31, 2005 and February 11, 2005. The Board approved its revised list for publication at its March 31, 2005 meeting. The revised list of crimes includes substantive deletions and clarifications from the proposal originally published in the Register of Regulations, Vol. 8, Issue 6, on December 1, 2004.
After due notice in the Register of Regulations and two Delaware newspapers, a second public hearing was held on June 14, 2005 at a scheduled meeting of the Delaware Board of Nursing Home Administrators to receive comments regarding proposed Regulation 24.0. The revised regulation was published in the Register of Regulations, Vol. 8, Issue 11, May 1, 2005.
Under Title 24, Chapter 52, as amended by SB 229, the Board of Nursing Home Administrators is mandated to “promulgate regulations specifically identifying those crimes, which are substantially related to nursing home administration.” In addition, “the license of a provisional nursing home administrator may be revoked or suspended, or such licensee may be reprimanded, censured or otherwise disciplined” upon “proof that such licensee has been convicted in a court of competent jurisdiction, either within or without this State, of a crime that is substantially related to nursing home administration.” 24 Del.C. §5212(a)(4).
“‘Substantially related’ means the nature of the criminal conduct, for which the person was convicted, has a direct bearing on the fitness or ability to perform one or more of the duties or responsibilities necessarily related nursing home administration.” 24 Del.C. § 5201(4).
An e-mail from Yrene E. Waldron, NHA, Executive Director of the Delaware Healthcare Association, dated January 7, 2005 was marked as an exhibit to the January 11, 2005 public hearing. In the e-mail Ms. Waldron questioned “what having a tattoo or playing a game of craps have to do with being an NHA.” Specifically, she questioned the inclusion of issuing a bad check, body piercing, tattooing or branding, tongue piercing, keeping drugs in original containers, driving a vehicle under the influence and failure to make reports of persons who are subject to loss of consciousness. Ms. Waldron also attended the public hearing and repeated the issues she raised in her e-mail. Ms. Waldron expressed her opinion that some of the Board’s selections went against the intent of the legislation. She asked the Board to revisit its list of crimes.
As a result of the public comment the Board reviewed and revised its list.
No written comments were received at the second public hearing on June 14, 2005 with regard to the revised list published on May 1, 2005. No members of the public attended the hearing.
The Board carefully reviewed and considered the crimes presented as a compilation of crimes extracted from the Delaware Code. The overarching concern of the Board was the safety of public. The “primary objective of the Board Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators, to which all other objectives and purposes are secondary, is to protect the general public (specifically those persons who are the direct recipients of the services regulated by this chapter) from unsafe practices and from occupational practices which tend to reduce competition or fix the price of services rendered” 24 Del.C. §5200.
The duties and responsibilities of a nursing home administrator include the oversight and governing of facilities in which the residents are often extremely vulnerable to undue influence or other forms of abuse. In addition, and the nursing home administrator is responsible for the safety of the employees of the facility.
Nursing home administrators have access to confidential patient records, employee records, and billing and health insurance records. They have a duty to keep accurate and reliable records. Nursing home administration also involves responsibility for, and access to, drugs within the facility. A nursing home administrator is also responsible for the fiscal operation of the facility and compliance with governmental regulations. To that end, nursing home administrators work and interact with member of government including state surveyors and inspectors and must maintain the highest level of integrity in those interactions.
In addition, a nursing home administrator is charged with ensuring that the rights of patients are not violated including the right to privacy and security in their property and persons. Nursing home administrators interact not only with the elderly but may have responsibility for long term care facilities and group homes for children.
The Board finds that the crimes identified in the proposed rule are substantially related to fitness or ability to perform 1 or more of the duties and responsibilities of a nursing home administrator in that they involve: the use of physical violence or force, or the threat thereof, toward or upon the person of another; dishonesty, or false or fraudulent conduct; mistreatment or abuse of children, the elderly or animals; offenses against public administration including but not limited to bribery and perjury; offenses against public health, order and decency; offenses which evidence a lack of appropriate concern for the safety and well being of another person or persons in general demonstrating a lack of fitness to run the operations of a health care facility; and offenses involving the illegal possession or the misuse or abuse of narcotics, or other addictive substances and those non-addictive substances with a substantial capacity to impair reason or judgment.
The Board hereby adopts the changes to Regulation 24.0 to be effective 10 days following publication of this order in the Register of Regulations.
The text of the revised rules remains as published in Register of Regulations, Vol. 8, Issue 11, May 1, 2005, without any changes and as attached hereto as Exhibit A.
SO ORDERED this 14th day of June, 2005.
Linda Jones, Healthcare Profession Member, President
Michael Bundek, Public Member, Vice-President
Elizabeth Happholdt, Public Member, Secretary
Carolyn Cotter, Public Member
Lillie Mae Johnson, Public Member
Alonzo Kieffer, Professional Member
Patricia McLaughlin, Professional Member
24.1.11 Failure to promptly cease electronic communication upon request. 11 Del.C. §920.
24.1.189 Prohibited acts. cheating devices(a)-(e). 11 Del.C. §1471.
24.1.197 Trafficking in marijuana, cocaine, illegal drugs, methamphetamines,Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (L.S.D.), designer drugs, or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). 16 Del.C. §4753A (a)(1)-(9).
14.1.244 Offenses [involving meat and poultry inspection including bribery or attempted bribery or assaulting or impeding any person in the performance of his duties] (felony) 3 Del.C. §8713.
24.1.262 Interception of Communications Generally; Divulging Contents of Communications 11 Del.C.. §2402
24.1.263 Manufacture, Possession or Sale of Intercepting Device. 11 Del.C.. §2403
24.1.265 Obstruction, Impediment or Prevention of Interception. 11 Del.C.. §2412
24.1.267 Divulging Contents of Communications. 11 Del.C.. §2422
24.1.272 Failure of child-care provider to obtain information required under §8561 or for those providing false information. 11 Del.C.. §8562.