NURSE AIDE REGISTRY SYSTEM

1. (a) Section 1396r(e)(2)(A) of 42 U.S.C.A. provides: ‘‘By no later than January 1, 1989, the State shall establish and maintain a registry of all individuals who have satisfactorily completed a nurse aide training and competency evaluation program, or a nurse aid competency evaluation program, approved . . . by the State.’’

2. (b) The registry required by OBRA-87 is established and will be maintained by the Department of Health in cooperation with the Department and the Department of Education. Within the Department of Health, the administration of the registry is the responsibility of:

   Nurse Aide Registry Section Division of Long Term Care Department of Health Room 526, Health and Welfare Building Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17108 (717) 787-1816

3. (c) The registry is not required by OBRA-87 to include information relating to findings of nurse aide misconduct until October 1, 1990. See 42 U.S.C.A. § § 1396r(e)(2)(B) and 1396r(g)(1)(C). The Department of Health is currently considering the promulgation of regulations to make the OBRA-87 nurse aide training and competency evaluation and registry requirements—including investigation and findings with respect to reported staff misconduct—applicable to licensed nursing facilities within this Commonwealth. If the Department of Health does not issue these regulations before July 1, 1989, the Department will be issuing regulations for provider facilities with respect to the inclusion of findings of misconduct on the registry.
4. (d) Currently the registry contains no names of individuals who have satisfactorily completed approved training or competency evaluation programs, or both. The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not yet established requirements for nurse aide training and competency evaluation programs. The Department, in cooperation with the Department of Education, has not approved existing programs under the statutory requirements of 42 U.S.C.A. § 1396r(f)(2)(A). If HHS does not establish its requirements before January 1, 1989, the Department of Education will review programs for approval as of that date using the statutory criteria.
5. (e) Once approved programs have been identified, names of certified nurse aides will be entered onto the registry upon notification from the Department of Education that the individual has satisfactorily completed an approved nurse aide training and competency evaluation program or a nurse aide competency evaluation program. Section 1181.521 (relating to nurse aide training and competency evaluation system) provides additional information on the process for obtaining approval of the programs.
6. (f) A nursing facility will be required to make inquiry with the registry about individuals they plan to use as nurse aides. See 42 U.S.C.A. § 1396r(b)(5)(C). This requirement does not become effective until January 1, 1990. Beginning on July 1, 1989, a nursing facility will be required to provide individuals used as nurse aides by the facility with approved competency evaluation programs and preparation as those individuals require to complete the programs by January 1, 1990. Providers will be limited in their use of unregistered staff as of January 1, 1990. See 42 U.S.C.A. § 1396r(b)(5)(A).
7. (g) An individual who is currently on a nurse aide registry in another state and who seeks listing on Pennsylvania’s registry should contact the registry.