131E-255. Nurse Aide Registry.

(a) Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1395i-3(e) and 42 U.S.C. 1396r(e), the Department shall establish and maintain a registry containing the names of all nurse aides working in nursing facilities in North Carolina. The Department shall include in the nurse aide registry any findings by the Department of neglect of a resident in a nursing facility or abuse of a resident in a nursing facility or misappropriation of the property of a resident in a nursing facility by a nurse aide.

(b) A nurse aide who wishes to contest a finding of resident neglect, resident abuse, or misappropriation of resident property made against the aide, is entitled to an administrative hearing as provided by the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 150B of the General Statutes. A petition for a contested case shall be filed within 30 days of the mailing of the written notice by certified mail of the Department's intent to place findings against the aide in the nurse aide registry.

(c) "Nursing facility", as used in this section, means a "combination home" as defined in G.S. 131E-101(1) and a "nursing home" as defined in G.S. 131E-101(6) and also means "facility" as that term is defined in G.S. 131E-116(2).

(d) The Commission shall adopt, amend, and repeal all rules necessary for the implementation of this section.

(e) No person shall be liable for providing any information for the nurse aide registry if the information is provided in good faith. Neither an employer, potential employer, nor the Department shall be liable for using any information from the nurse aide registry if the information is used in good faith for the purpose of screening prospective applicants for employment or reviewing the employment status of an employee.