HOT TOPICS 

RULES PROMULGATION IN PROGRESS...

Following the Public Hearing and "Special Board Meeting" held on the morning of March 2nd, the following are the documents that were  submitted for final approval (as approved by the Board).  There has been no Joint Resolution to "disapprove" these rules and approval  of the "fees aspect" in Chapter 1 was in HJR-1111 which has passed on both the House and Senate floors.  We DO expect these to be effective on July 1 as sine die for the legislature is no later than May 25th. 

Final Chapter 1(no fees)
Final Chapter 10 
Final Chapter 15
Final Chapter 1 (fees only)

Thank you to EVERYONE who participated in the process!  Please note, there may be some "minor" edits made to these as well based on the "red marked pages" we will have also received in the process - but the gist and intent will not be affected.

 

A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE UPCOMING GRANDFATHERING...

Grandfathering doesn’t start until July 1st – so WHAT CAN I DO BETWEEN NOW AND THEN TO PREPARE AND HELP MAKE IT GO SMOOTHLY?
Good question…  Basically, we’re going to be doing the Grandfathering online.  To prepare for that, you will need to have your documentation in order.   

WHAT DOCUMENTATION?  Another good question and the answer will vary from person to person.  Essentially, what we are going to require for the grandfathering is THE DOCUMENTATION THAT ALLOWS YOU TO LEGALLY BE AN ADMINISTRATOR OF WHATEVER FACILITY TYPE YOU”RE AN ADMINISTRATOR OF ON JULY 1, 2012.  That means, for the entering argument for most Residential Care and Assisted Living administrators, we will be looking for the documentation that shows you were originally certified… For Adult Day Care Administrators, we will be looking for proof of employment.
That you are CURRENT is the next piece of proof we’ll be looking for.  If you were only recently certified, you may not have had any re-certification requirements (continuing education).  But, if you did have some re-certification requirements, we need to see that you are current.  If that means X number of hours in this and that (or MAT training), that’s what we’re looking for.  If you’re a nurse, for example, and therefore perhaps exempt from MAT hours (where applicable), we’ll be looking for a copy of your current nursing license.  Everyone is probably slightly different and we recognize that.

Gather this documentation.  You will need it.
 

You will also need a passport photo to attach to your application (you will be completing that online).  So, if you have a chance, have a nice “head shot” photo taken.  Have it ready, too.
 

The photo and the documentation will all need to be scanned (into a PDF) so that it can all be attached with your application.  
 

If you have all of this documentation gathered and scanned in advance, it WILL make the process go a lot more smoothly.

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DID YOU KNOW...
There is a NAB REVIEW SEMINAR SCHEDULED FOR August 13th and 14th (2012)...two days, $275...
        We plan to schedule a NAB Review in February and August each year now!
The next PRECEPTOR Training has been scheduled for July 11th...includes "refresher" training for current preceptors who wish to remain current.
The Current AU class is in its final days (started in January...the next class will start in early August.
        We have a draft syllabus published already for the Spring 2012 class...and will soon publish the Fall syllabus.

AND DID YOU KNOW that you can pay some fees online and register for events (such as the NAB Review and Preceptor Training) through our Calendar?

AITs - Have you found the FLASH CARDS yet to help you study for the NAB?

 

 

And now, a few words about CEUs…

Near and dear to everyone’s heart, they are MUCH more than the perceived pain in the neck they are to most people…  These are your ticket to continually improving in your profession as a Long Term Care Administrator.

A few things to keep in mind…

- You are required to do 24 CEUs each calendar year.  New licensees will be prorated.
- You are required to maintain records of your own CEUs.
- OSBELTCA randomly audits your accomplishment and we will be asking for copies of your certificates during such an audit.
- Your CEUs need to have been approved by this Board (OSBELTCA) OR have NAB approval with an NCERS number associated
- When you renew your license, you certify that you accomplished the required CEUs (or that you will by the end of the calendar year).

In 2010, 12.5% (that’s about 1 in 8) of those audited for what they did in 2009 fell short of the requirement…that’s a fairly alarming rate of failure.  Is it worth it?  Those we audited in 2012 (for 2011 CEUs) has been a much better story...so far, we've had nobody fail to accomplish all of their CEUs but we do have a couple that we're waiting for a response from...fingers crossed!

The “going rate” (penalty-wise) for failure to accomplish CEUs (which is clearly a punishable offense for this Board to deal with…see OAC 490:10-5-3(13))  for first time offenders has been:

            $50.00 fine PER CEU short            
            An assessment of an additional 2 CEUs per each CEU short            
            It ends up being reported/recorded in our Registry AND in the national (HIPDB) database…and this is also included in "rule" with the promulgation of new rules.  It's no longer just "the going rate" but the rule.

Second offenses would be dealt with more harshly.  This “going rate” is what the Board has determined to be a “fair” rate for this offense…  The fact that it’s a reportable offense alone should be a deterrent, but consider that only 6 short would cost you $300 and 12 CEUs to be accomplished…  to most people, it’s not worth it.  It would be a rare day that the Board would see a valid excuse for not getting your CEUs…(primarily because the audits are done after the fact and you can request a waiver in advance if you have a valid reason) in which case this “going rate” might be negotiated.

And CEUs are designed to HELP YOU IMPROVE.  As a professional, the minimum should never be a question…  Too many people probably just go to the locally offered (free and/or inexpensive) CEUs rather than going to other places and getting courses in something that will HELP YOU IMPROVE…  A “professional” (as we all are) would work on his/her weak areas…such as a baseball player might spend hours each day in the batting cage hitting curve ball after curve ball, to get better at something he may have trouble doing.  We are also professionals and need to fill those gaps in our abilities and work to be better…

So, get your CEUs… but PICK your CEUs because it’s something you need or want to learn more about (online or through another organization such as ACHCA – they go to Las Vegas and other nice places…and it IS our professional association like the Bar Association is to a lawyer...become the professional your residents deserve you to be). 

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