Sec. 10.07.02.62. Geriatric Nursing Assistant Training Program

A. Nursing Home Responsibilities.

(1) A nursing home shall conduct or arrange a geriatric nursing assistant training program for unlicensed personnel assigned to direct resident care duties. The Maryland Board of Nursing shall approve the geriatric nursing assistant training program curriculum.

(2) A nursing home may not employ an individual as a geriatric nursing assistant until the individual has successfully completed a competency evaluation approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing.

(3) A geriatric nursing assistant is deemed to satisfy the requirements of this chapter if that individual has successfully completed a training program approved by the State before July 1, 1990, or has been “grandfathered” under previous regulations.

(4) Other persons hired as geriatric nursing assistants shall complete an approved geriatric nursing assistant training program within 120 days of employment.

(5) The nursing home shall:

(a) Record the satisfactory completion of the program in each employee’s personnel record; and

(b) Give the employee a certificate signed by the program’s teacher or trainer as evidence of completion of the program.

B. Course Structure.

(1) The geriatric nursing assistant training program shall consist of 75 hours or more, and include at least 37.5 hours of classroom instruction and at least 37.5 hours of supervised clinical experience in long-term care.

(2) The course content shall adhere to the geriatric nursing assistant training program curriculum approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing.