In this third installment of our series about the Personnel Requirements of a Florida Home Health Agency, we will review the requirements for the supervising nurse.
Home health agencies that do not provide nursing services, such as those agencies that provide only home health aide & homemaker companion services, or only therapy services, are not required to have a Director of Nursing. A home health agency that provides home health aides but no nursing care is required to have a registered nurse (RN) available upon the request of a patient and also to provide supervision to the home health aides (HHAs) and certified nursing assistants (CNAs). The nurse is not required to have any experience in the field or even supervisory experience. Obviously, the individual must be properly license by the State of Florida. Further, the RN must clear a Level 2 background screening.
This includes the assignment of non-skilled personnel as well as the supervision of all aspects of the services provided. When only physical, speech, or occupational therapy is furnished, in addition to HHA or CNA services, the supervision can be supplied by the licensed therapist, who must be directly employed by the agency or by an independently contracted individual.
Supervision in the home of the HHA and CNA by an RN must occur with the patient’s approval and agreement to pay any charge for the visits. In essence, if the patient does not authorize the supervisory visits, they cannot occur. It is important to clarify that accredited agencies must meet their accrediting organization’s standards for personnel requirements and supervisory visits which may differ from the State of Florida’s guidelines in this blog series.
Next week, we will continue our coverage of home health agency leaders by discussing the requirements and responsibilities for the Financial Officer. We hope you will join us.