| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT:
|
| October 1, 2003 |
Kate Dwyer: 202-226-7326
|
New Rule Permits Trained Assistants to Help Feed
Nursing Home Residents
HHS
Enacts New Rule That Fulfills Aims of Earlier Ryan Legislation to Improve
Quality of Care, Provide Support to Overworked Nurses
WASHINGTON – Wisconsin’s First District Congressman
Paul Ryan today hailed a new rule that allows nursing homes to use paid,
specially trained feeding assistants to help residents (who have no complicated
feeding problems) eat and drink – a policy he has been pushing for since the
spring of 2000.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
recently announced the new regulations, which achieve the goals of legislation
proposed in the past by Congressman Ryan and Senator Herb Kohl.
Like their legislation, the new rule is written to improve quality of
care for nursing home residents and give support to overworked nurses and nurse
aides. It will also ensure that
Wisconsin nursing homes and their residents can continue to benefit from the
help of trained feeding assistants.
For more than seven years, Wisconsin nursing homes relied
on trained assistants to help with certain basic, non-medical tasks such as
helping feed residents during mealtimes. This
assistance supplemented the hard work of nurses and nurse aides.
Despite Wisconsin’s success with such assistants, in 2000 a federal
agency informed Wisconsin that their use violated federal law.
Had this position remained unchanged, it could have led to a decline in
quality of care at facilities that rely on the help of feeding assistants.
“This rule is good news for those who live and work in
Wisconsin’s nursing homes,” Ryan said.
“When the issue came up several years ago, we worked together in a
bipartisan way to avert a crisis in care and make sure that common sense
prevailed. The new regulations are
true to the principles we stood up for. They
should help nursing homes around the country improve quality of care, provide
more one-on-one attention to residents, support overworked nurses and nurse
aides, and develop new interest in nursing careers.”
The new rule provides that feeding assistants will be
required to successfully complete a state-approved training program and work
under the supervision of a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse.