Nursing Services Requirements for the State of Maine

Chapter 9 - Resident Care Staffing

9.A. Minimum Nursing Staff Requirements

The following minimum nursing staff requirements shall be met:

9.A.1. Director of Nursing

a. In each licensed nursing facility there shall be a Registered Professional Nurse employed full-time who shall be responsible for the direction of all nursing services delivered in the facility.

b. The Director of Nursing must be qualified by education, training and experience in both Gerontology and nursing administration.

c. If the Director of Nursing is functioning as a Temporary Administrator, a nurse shall be appointed to act as the Director of Nursing during that period of time.

d. Lines of responsibility shall be clearly established in writing and shall be made known to all nursing staff and other appropriate personnel.

9.A.2. Director of Nursing - Responsibilities

The Director of Nursing shall be responsible and accountable to the Administrator for:

a. Assuring the delivery of all required services to residents;

b. Developing and maintaining nursing service objectives, current standards of nursing practice, nursing policy and procedure and manuals, and written job descriptions for each level of personnel;

c. Coordination of nursing services with other resident services;

d. Establishment of the means of assessing the needs of residents and staffing to meet those needs on all shifts;

e. Assuring the delivery of orientation programs and staff development;

f. Participating in the selection of prospective residents in terms of nursing service they need and nursing competencies available;

g. Assuring that a comprehensive assessment and plan of care is established for each resident, and that his/her plan is reviewed and modified and implemented as is necessary;

h. Assuring the evaluation of the performance for all nursing personnel at regular intervals and making recommendations to the administrator;

i. Recommending action when needed to control noise, maintain, repair or replace equipment; ensuring cleanliness and safety measures; providing proper allocation and utilization of space and equipment;

j. Recommending to the administrator the number and levels of nursing personnel, supplies and equipment for safe resident care;

k. Establishing priorities for budget items that are necessary to provide services;

l. Participating in the Quality Assurance Committee and other committees as necessary.

9.A.3. Licensed Staff Coverage

a. There shall be a Registered Professional Nurse on duty for at least eight (8) consecutive hours each day of the week.

b. Licensed nurse coverage shall be provided according to the needs of the residents as determined by their levels of care. The following minimum coverage shall be met:

1. Day Shift

a. In each facility there shall be a licensed nurse on duty seven (7) days a week.

b. Each facility must designate a Registered Professional Nurse or a Licensed Practical Nurse as the charge nurse. In facilities with twenty (20) beds or less, the Director of Nursing may also be the charge nurse.

c. In facilities larger than twenty (20) beds, in addition to the Director of Nursing, there shall also be another licensed nurse on duty.

d. An additional licensed nurse shall be added for each fifty (50) beds above fifty (50).

e. In facilities of one hundred (100) beds and over, the additional licensed nurse shall be a Registered Professional Nurse for each multiple of one hundred (100) beds.

2. Evening Shift

a. There shall be a licensed nurse on duty eight (8) hours each evening.

b. An additional licensed nurse shall be added for each seventy (70) beds.

c. In facilities of one hundred (100) beds and over, one of the additional licensed nurses shall be a Registered Professional Nurse.

3. Night Shift

a. There shall be a licensed nurse on duty eight (8) hours each night.

b. An additional licensed nurse shall be added for each one hundred (100) beds.

c. In facilities of one hundred (100) beds and over there shall be a Registered Professional Nurse on duty.

d. Registered Professional Nurse on Call

All licensed nursing facilities, regardless of size, shall have a Registered Professional Nurse on duty or on call at all times.

e. Private Duty Nurses

The presence of private duty nurses shall have no effect on the nursing staff requirements.

9.A.4. Minimum Staffing Ratios

A. The nursing staff-to-resident ratio is the number of nursing staff to the number of occupied beds. Nursing assistants in training shall not be counted in the ratios.

The minimum nursing staff-to-resident ratio shall not be less than the following:

1. On the day shift, one direct-care provider for every 5 residents;

2. On the evening shift, one direct-care provider for every 10 residents; and

3. On the night shift, one direct-care provider for every 15 residents

The definition of direct care providers and direct care is found in Chapter 1 of these Regulations. (see Page 2)

9.A.5. Multi-Storied Facilities

There shall be staff assigned to each resident floor at all times when residents are present.

9.B. Assignment of Tasks

9.B.1. Licensed Practical Nurse

Only nursing tasks for which that nurse has been trained and which are within the LPN scope of practice, as defined by the Maine State Board of Nursing, shall be assigned to the LPN.

9.B.2. Certified Nursing Assistants

The nursing tasks assigned to a CNA shall only be those for which the CNA has been trained and which are within the scope of the duties, as defined by the Maine State Board of Nursing rules and regulations.

9.B.3. Nursing Assistant

a. Prior to the initial assignment of a nursing task to a nursing assistant, the Registered Professional Nurse shall determine if the individual is enrolled in a course preparing nursing assistants. The Registered Professional Nurse may assign to that individual only those tasks for which the individual has been satisfactorily prepared as documented by the instructional staff. Such training program or course must be satisfactorily completed within four (4) months from the date of employment.

b. When a nursing assistant is waiting for a training program to start, he/she may participate in non-direct care activities, such as making unoccupied beds and passing trays, and water and linens.

9.B.4. Administration of Medication by a Certified Nursing Assistant/Medications

A certified nursing assistant/medications may administer medications only when this function is assigned by a registered professional nurse and there is a licensed nurse on duty.

Eff. 10/15/04: 9.B.5. Feeding Assistants

All trained feeding assistants shall work under the supervision of a registered or licensed practical nurse. The decision to allow a feeding assistant to feed a resident is based on the charge nurse’s assessment and the resident’s latest assessment and plan of care. Facilities are responsible for any adverse actions resulting from the use of feeding assistants.

9.C. Sharing of Staff

Sharing of nursing staff is permitted between the nursing facility and other levels of assisted living on the same premises as long as there is a clear documented audit trail and the staffing in the nursing facility remains adequate to meet the needs of residents. All sharing of nursing staff must be approved in writing by the Department. There may not be sharing of nursing staff between the nursing facility and another non-nursing facility, whether it is physically attached or in proximity to the nursing facility without written approval by the Department. The non-nursing facility must provide its own separate activities, but may share housekeeping, laundry, dietary and maintenance staff, and account for these hours.

9.D. Staffing Patterns

The facility is responsible for establishing its own staffing pattern according to the needs of the residents and in accordance with the provisions of these regulations.