An Act To Expand the Scope of Practice of Certified Nursing Assistants To Include the Care of Feeding Tubes and Similar Devices
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §1812-C, sub-§3, ¶G, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 738, §1, is amended to read:
G. Assisting with feeding; and
Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §1812-C, sub-§3, ¶G-1 is enacted to read:
G-1. Management of feeding tubes, suction machines and cough-assist devices; and
Sec. 3. 32 MRSA §2102, sub-§2, ¶D, as amended by PL 1995, c. 625, Pt. B, §11 and PL 2003, c. 689, Pt. B, §6, is further amended to read:
D. Delegation of selected nursing services , including but not limited to the management of feeding tubes, suction machines and cough-assist devices, to assistants to nurses who have completed or are currently enrolled in a course sponsored by a state-approved facility or a facility licensed by the Department of Health and Human Services. This course must include a curriculum approved by the board. The board shall issue such rules concerning delegation as it considers necessary to ensure quality of health care to the patient;
summary
This bill expands the scope of practice of certified nursing assistants to include the management of feeding tubes, suction machines and cough-assist devices.