10A NCAC 06A .0304. COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS

(a)  Aides who provide In‑Home Aide Services must meet the competency requirements for the level of service they are regularly required to perform.  In addition, an aide performing any tasks in Level III Personal Care must meet the competency requirements for that level and be registered as a Nurse Aide I with the NC Board of Nursing.  Meeting competency requirements includes a correct demonstration of the tasks to an appropriate professional.

(b)  The agency employing the in‑home aides must maintain documentation of each aide's competence; this includes verification of knowledge of all content areas and ability to correctly perform all tasks at the level of service regularly provided.  If the aide is required to perform selective tasks at a higher level, documentation of competence in the specific tasks is also required.  An aide must be fully competent at the current level of service provision before being assigned tasks at a higher level.

(c)  By July 1, 1991, regardless of the level of service to which the aide is assigned, demonstrated competence for the specific tasks assigned to that aide must be documented before allowing the aide to perform the tasks independently.

(d)  Competency requirements for all levels except Level III Personal Care are applicable on July 1, 1993 for all persons hired after than date.  All aides performing any Level III Personal Care tasks must have met the NC Board of Nursing's competency requirements and be registered as a Nurse Aide I with the North Carolina Board of Nursing by January 1, 1991 or within four months of being assigned these tasks.  Each service provider agency is responsible for ensuring that competency testing is appropriately administered.

(e)  A listing of the tasks and related areas of competence for each level from which a competency test for the aide will be drawn is provided in Rule .0305 of this Section.

(f)  Each service provider agency is responsible for insuring that its aides have sufficient training to pass a competency test for the level of service the aides will regularly provide.

(g)  In the event that a spouse, parent, child or sibling is paid to provide care, the service provider agency can make a determination that the family member is capable of providing the care needed without requiring any formal training.  The family member must demonstrate competence to perform the tasks needed by the client to an appropriate professional.  When the family member provides Personal Care at Level III, he must meet the NC Board of Nursing's competency requirements and be registered as a Nurse Aide I with the NC Board of Nursing within four months of being assigned these tasks.

(h)  Demonstration of competence in the presence of an appropriate professional can take place in a variety of settings including, but not limited to, the classroom, laboratory, local agency, or the home of the client and family.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 143B‑181.1(c); 143B‑181.9A;

Eff. December 1, 1991.