Section 340.1350  Personnel Policies

a)         Sufficient staff in numbers and qualifications shall be on duty all hours of each day to provide services that meet the total needs of the residents.  As a minimum, there shall be at least one staff member awake, dressed, and on duty at all times.

b)         The facility shall document all arrangements for each consultant's services in a written agreement setting forth services to be provided.  These agreements shall be updated annually.

c)         Each facility shall develop and maintain written personnel policies that are followed in the operation of the facility.

d)         Employment application forms shall be completed for each employee and kept on file in the facility.  Completed forms shall contain, at a minimum, home address; social security number; educational background; and employment history, including dates, positions held, and reasons for leaving.  The date of employment and position held shall be documented in each file.

e)         Employees shall only be assigned duties that are directly related to their job functions, as identified in their job descriptions.  Exceptions may be made in emergencies.

f)         All personnel shall have either training or experience, or both, in the job assigned them.

g)         Prior to employing any individual in a position that requires a State license, the facility shall contact the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation to verify that the individual's license is active. A copy of the license shall be placed in the individual's personnel file.

h)         The facility shall check the status of all applicants with the Nurse Aide Registry prior to hiring.

i)          All new employees, including student interns, shall complete an orientation program covering, at a minimum, the following:  general facility and resident orientation; job orientation, emphasizing allowable duties of the new employee; resident safety, including fire and disaster, emergency care and basic resident safety; and understanding and communicating with the type of residents being cared for in the facility.  In addition, all new direct care staff, including student interns, shall complete an orientation program covering the facility's policies and procedure for resident care services before being assigned to provide direct care to residents.  This orientation program shall include information on the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers and the importance of nutrition in general health care.

j)          All employees, except student interns, shall attend in-service training programs pertaining to their assigned duties at least annually.  These in-service training programs shall include the facility's policies, skill training, and ongoing education to enable all personnel to perform their duties effectively.  The in-service training sessions regarding personal care, nursing and restorative services shall include information on prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers.  In-service training concerning dietary services shall include information on the effects of diet in treatment of various diseases or medical conditions and the importance of laboratory test results in determining therapeutic diets.  Written records of program content and personnel attending each session shall be kept.

k)         Every facility shall have a current employee time schedule.  This schedule shall contain the employee's name, job title, shift assignment, hours of work, and days off. The schedule shall be kept on file in the facility for one year after the week for which the schedule was used.

l)          Personnel policies shall include a plan to provide personnel coverage for regular staff when they are absent.

m)        Individual employee work performance evaluations shall be completed and maintained in the employee's file.

n)         The date and reason a person discontinues employment at the facility shall be noted in his/her file.

(Source:  Amended at 26 Ill. Reg. 10589, effective July 1, 2002)