North Carolina Administrative Code › Title 10A - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES › Chapter 13 - NC MEDICAL CARE COMMISSION › Subchapter K - HOSPICE LICENSING RULES › Section .0400 - PERSONNEL › Section 13K .0401 - PERSONNEL

Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 2, July 15, 2024
(a) Written
				  policies shall be established and implemented by the agency regarding infection
				  control and exposure to communicable diseases consistent with the rules set
				  forth in 10A NCAC 41A, which is
				  incorporated by reference, including subsequent amendments. These policies and
				  procedures shall include provisions for compliance with
				  29 CFR
				  1910 Occupational Safety and Health
				  Standards, which is incorporated by reference including subsequent amendments
				  and editions. These editions shall include
				  29 CFR
				  1910.1030 Bloodborne Pathogens. Copies of
				  Title 29 Part 1910 can be obtained online at no charge at
				  https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_id=10051&p_table=STANDARDS.
(b) Hands-on care team members
				  shall have a baseline test for tuberculosis. Individuals who test positive
				  shall demonstrate non-infectious status prior to assignment in a patient's
				  home. Individuals who have previously tested positive for the tuberculosis test
				  shall obtain a baseline and subsequent annual verification that they are free
				  of tuberculosis symptoms. The verification shall be obtained from the local
				  health department, a private physician, or health nurse employed by the agency.
				  The Communicable Disease Branch of the North Carolina Department of Health and
				  Human Services, Division of Public Health, 1905 Mail Service Center, Raleigh,
				  NC 27699-1905 will provide free of charge guidelines for conducting and
				  verification utilizingForm DHHS 3405 (Record of Tuberculosis Screening).
				  Employees identified by agency risk assessment to be at risk for exposure shall
				  be subsequently tested in accordance with Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
				  guidelines, which is incorporated by reference with subsequent amendments and
				  editions. A copy of the CDC guidelines can be obtained online at no charge at
				  https://search.cdc.gov/search/?query=TB+testing+intervals&sitelimit=&utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=cdc-main.
(c) Written policies shall be
				  established and implemented by the agency that include personnel record
				  content, orientation, patient family volunteer training, and in-service
				  education. Records on the subject of in-service education and attendance shall
				  be maintained by the agency and retained for one year.
(d) Job descriptions for every position,
				  including volunteers involved in direct patient/family services, shall be
				  established by the agency and shall include the position'squalifications and
				  specific responsibilities. Hospice team member(s) shall be assigned only to
				  duties that they are trained and competent to perform, or licensed to
				  perform.
(e) Personnel records
				  shall be established and maintained for hospice team members, including paid
				  and direct patient/family services volunteers. These records shall be
				  maintained for one year after employment or volunteer service ends. When
				  requested by the State surveyors, the records shall be available on the agency
				  premises for inspection by the Department. The records shall include:
(1) an application or resume that lists
				  education, training, and previous employment, including job title;
(2) a job description with record of
				  acknowledgment by the team member(s);
(3) reference checks or verification of
				  previous employment;
(4) records of
				  tuberculosis annual screening for hands-on care team members;
(5) documentation of Hepatitis B immunization
				  or declination for hands-on care team members;
(6) bloodborne pathogen training for hands-on
				  care team members, including annual updates, in compliance with
				  29 CFR
				  1910 and in accordance with the agency's
				  exposure control plan;
(7)
				  performance evaluations according to agency policy, or at least
				  annually;
(8) verification of team
				  member(s) credentials;
(9) records
				  of the verification of competencies by agency supervisory personnel of skills
				  required of hospice services personnel to carry out patient care tasks. The
				  method of verification shall be defined in agency policy.