Each hospice care program shall utilize personnel to provide services that have appropriate training and qualifications for the services that they provide. Any staff member, including a volunteer, who functions in a professional capacity shall meet the standards applicable to that profession, including but not limited to, possessing applicable license, registration, or certification, if required by law, and practicing within the applicable scope of practice.

1. (1) The hospice care program shall provide each staff member, including volunteer and contracted staff members, with a written job description delineating his or her responsibilities. The program shall assure that all staff members, including volunteers, provide services to hospice patients and their families in compliance with all of the following standards:

   1. (a) Services are provided in accordance with the patient’s plans of care.
   2. (b) Services are provided in accordance with the policies and procedures developed by the interdisciplinary team or teams.
   3. (c) Services are provided in accordance with current and accepted standards of practice.
   4. (d) Services are provided by staff members who comply with the program’s employee health policies.
   5. (e) All services are documented in the patient’s central clinical record.

2. (2) Each hospice care program shall have a policy which provides for orientation and ongoing education programs for its personnel, including volunteers that is consistent with acceptable standards of hospice practice which emphasizes:

   1. (a) The hospice care programs’ goals and services.
   2. (b) Confidentiality and the protection of patient and family rights.
   3. (c) Procedures for responding to medical emergencies or deaths.
   4. (d) The physiological and psychological aspects of terminal illness.
   5. (e) Family dynamics, coping mechanisms, and psychosocial issues surrounding terminal illness, death, and bereavement.
   6. (f) Safety policies and procedures.
   7. (g) General communication skills.
   8. (h) Licensed nurses, in addition, shall be trained in pain and symptom management.
   9. (i) Documentation of orientation and ongoing education shall be maintained in the personnel or volunteer file.
3. (3) Each hospice care program shall evaluate the performance of each staff member at least annually.

Author: Jimmy D. Prince

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§22-21-20, et seq.

History: New Rule: Filed August 20, 1993; effective September 23, 1993. Repealed and New Rule: Filed June 14, 2000; effective July 19, 2000.