§2200.2. Dementia training; nursing facilities and Alzheimer's special care units

A. All persons employed by a nursing home, as defined in R.S. 40:2009.2, shall be trained, in accordance with the provisions of this Section, in dementia training issues and practices that include or are informed by evidence-based care practices.

B. Training requirements for employees of a nursing home, as defined in R.S. 40:2009.2, who provide care on a regular basis to a resident in an Alzheimer's special care unit, shall be the following:

(1) Employees who provide nursing and nursing assistant care to residents shall be required to obtain at least eight hours of dementia specific training within ninety days of employment and five hours of dementia specific training annually. The training shall include an overview of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, communicating with persons with dementia, behavior management, promoting independence in activities of daily living, and understanding and dealing with family issues.

(2) Employees who have regular communicative contact with residents but who do not provide nursing and nursing assistant care shall be required to obtain at least four hours of dementia specific training within ninety days of employment and one hour of dementia training annually. This training shall include an overview of dementias and communicating with persons with dementia.

(3) Employees who have only incidental contact with residents shall receive general written information provided by the facility on interacting with residents with dementia.

C. Training requirements for employees of a nursing home who provide care to residents not in an Alzheimer's special care unit shall be the following:

(1) Employees who provide nursing assistant care shall be required to obtain four hours of dementia training within ninety days of employment and two hours of dementia training annually thereafter.

(2) Employees who are not licensed and who have regular communicative contact with residents but who do not provide nursing assistant care shall be required to obtain four hours of dementia specific training within ninety days of employment and one hour of dementia training annually. The training shall include an overview of dementias and communicating with persons with dementia.

(3) Employees who have only incidental contact with residents shall receive general written information provided by the facility on interacting with residents with dementia.

D. Nothing herein shall be construed to increase the number of training hours required by the regulations promulgated by the Louisiana Department of Health and in effect on May 1, 2008.

Acts 2008, No. 571, §1, eff. June 30, 2008.