A4088

An Act concerning nursing home administrators and amending P.L.1968, c.356.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 11 of P.L.1968, c.356 (C.30:11-21) is amended to read as follows:

The nursing home administrator's licensing board shall have the following responsibilities and duties;

a. Develop, and promulgate by regulation approved by the State Board of Control standards which must be met by individuals in order to receive a license as a nursing home administrator, which standards shall be designed to insure that nursing home administrators will be individuals who are of good character and are otherwise suitable, and who, by training, experience and education in the field of institutional administration, are qualified to serve as nursing home administrators;

b. Develop and apply appropriate techniques, including examinations and investigations for determining whether an individual meets such standards;

c. [Issue] Within 90 days following the submission of an application, issue licenses to individuals determined to meet such standards and recommend to the [State Board of Control or the] Commissioner of [the Department of Institutions and Agencies] Health the revocation, suspension, or denial of licenses to be issued or previously issued by the board in any case where the individual holding any such license is determined substantially to have failed to conform to the requirements of such standards;

d. Establish and carry out procedures designed to insure that individuals licensed as nursing home administrators will, during any period that they serve as such, comply with the requirements of such standards;

e. Receive, investigate, and take appropriate action with respect to any charge or complaint filed with the board to the effect that any individual licensed as a nursing home administrator has failed to comply with the requirements of such standards;

f. Conduct a continuing study and investigation of nursing homes and administrators of nursing homes within the state with a view to the improvement of the standards imposed for the licensing of such administrators and of procedures and methods for the enforcement of such standards with respect to administrators of nursing homes who have been licensed as such;

g. To study and identify the core of knowledge that should constitute minimally the training in the field of institutional administration which should qualify an individual to serve as a nursing home administrator;

h. To study and develop model techniques for determining whether an individual possesses such qualifications;

i. To study and develop model criteria for programs of training and to recommend such programs of training and instruction for those desiring to pursue a career in nursing home administration;

j. (1) Within 15 business days following the submission of a nursing home administrator intern training program plan that is submitted by a nursing home to be used by the nursing home in its facilities, or within 10 business days following the submission of an amended plan, either approve or disapprove the plan;

(2) If a nursing home administrator intern training program plan is not approved or disapproved within the timeframe that is established pursuant to this subsection, the nursing home shall be permitted to implement the plan;

(3) Nursing home administrator intern training program plan instructors shall be employed by the nursing home on a full-time basis and possess three consecutive years of experience working as a licensed nursing home administrator in a licensed facility, and

(4) Each nursing home administrator intern training program instructor shall be assigned no more than four interns simultaneously during an internship period;

k. To require nursing home administrators to notify the board within six months of the next licensing renewal date of a change in the administrator’s address or name, which shall include a copy of the court order, marriage certificate, or other document that authorized the change in name;

l. To require an applicant for a license to complete 1,750 hours, with no more than 50 hours completed on a weekly basis, in a nursing home administrator intern program within a two year period, and successfully pass a licensing examination within two attempts or complete 50 hours of study in the subject area that resulted in examination failure in order to retake the examination. A request to retake an examination shall be approved or disapproved with 15 calendar days;

m. To immediately approve the application of a licensed nursing home administrator in good standing in another state if the applicant does not have a record of disciplinary actions;

n. To grant presumptive eligibility for licensure approval to a licensed out-of-State applicant who is transferring work locations from an out-of-State nursing home to an in-State nursing home, which nursing homes are under the same ownership.

(cf: P.L.1968, c.356, s.11)

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill revises the responsibilities and duties of the Nursing Home Administrator’s Licensing Board (board).

Under the bill, the following revisions to the board are made: 1) within 90 days following the submission of an application, issue licenses to nursing home administrator licensing applicants; 2) within 15 business days following the submission of a nursing home administrator intern training program plan that is submitted by a nursing home to be used by the nursing home in its facilities, or within 10 business days following the submission of an amended plan, either approve or disapprove the plan; 3) if a nursing home administrator intern training program plan is not approved or disapproved within the timeframe established under the bill, the nursing home is to be permitted to implement the plan; 4) to require nursing home administrators to notify the board within six months of the next licensing renewal date of a change in the administrator’s address or name, which is to include a copy of the court order, marriage certificate, or other document that authorized the change in name; 5) to require an applicant for a license to complete 1,750 hours, with no more than 50 hours completed on a weekly basis, in a nursing home administrator intern program within a two year period, and successfully pass a licensing examination within two attempts or complete 50 hours of study in the subject area that resulted in examination failure in order to retake the examination; 6) to immediately approve the application of a licensed nursing home administrator in good standing in another state if the applicant does not have a record of disciplinary actions; and 7) to grant presumptive eligibility for licensure approval to a licensed out-of-State applicant who is transferring work locations from an out-of-State nursing home to an in-State nursing home, which nursing homes are under the same ownership.