PRINTER'S NO. 3011
No. 502 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY GOODMAN, BELFANTI, DeWEESE, FABRIZIO, GERGELY,
GRUCELA, HORSEY, JOSEPHS, KOTIK, LAUGHLIN, LEACH, PALLONE,
PHILLIPS, ROBERTS, E. Z. TAYLOR, WASHINGTON AND YOUNGBLOOD,
NOVEMBER 25, 2003
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
NOVEMBER 25, 2003
A RESOLUTION
1 Urging nursing homes throughout this Commonwealth to refrain
2 from using feeding assistants in lieu of certified nurse
3 aides (CNAs).
4 WHEREAS, Of the 1.5 million nursing home residents in the
5 United States, 47% need assistance eating and drinking, and 21%
6 are completely dependent; and
7 WHEREAS, In March 2002, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
8 Services of the United States Department of Health and Human
9 Services proposed the use of trained feeding assistants to help
10 nursing home residents to eat and drink, especially at
11 mealtimes; and
12 WHEREAS, Patient safety is not ensured under final
13 regulations, which provide that a feeding assistant receive
14 eight hours of training before working in a nursing home and
15 which do not require direct supervision by a licensed nurse; and
16 WHEREAS, Feeding assistants may have insufficient training to
17 handle the complexities of feeding residents with health
1 problems; and
2 WHEREAS, The new rule does not require that feeding
3 assistants be trained by licensed professionals, nor is there
4 any test to demonstrate their competency and ensure that they
5 are qualified to assist residents; and
6 WHEREAS, The new rule does not provide safeguards to ensure
7 that feeding assistants will not also be used as direct care
8 givers who transfer patients, lift residents and provide nursing
9 care to residents; and
10 WHEREAS, CNAs ensure the safety of elderly residents in
11 nursing homes, including persons with swallowing disorders and
12 other special needs, and feeding assistants have less training
13 and experience leaving this new class of workers vulnerable to
14 making mistakes that could seriously harm residents; and
15 WHEREAS, Providing a less skilled work force is not a good
16 strategy for dealing with the nursing shortage and related
17 health care issues; therefore be it
18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
19 harm of using feeding assistants and oppose the use of feeding
20 assistants in nursing homes in this Commonwealth.
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