(a) The Legislature finds that the quality of patient care in skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities is dependent upon the competence of the personnel who staff its facilities. The Legislature further finds that direct patient care in skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities is currently rendered largely by certified nurse assistants. To assure the availability of trained personnel in skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities, the Legislature intends that all such facilities in this state participate in approved training programs established under this article. This article shall not apply to intermediate care facilities/developmentally disabled habilitative, intermediate care facility/developmentally disabled-nursing, and intermediate care facility/developmentally disabled-continuous nursing which have staff training programs approved by the State Department of Developmental Services, general acute care hospitals, acute psychiatric hospitals, or special hospitals.

(b) The requirement that certified nurse assistants obtain a criminal record clearance upon certification and biannually thereafter shall apply regardless of the setting in which the certified nurse assistant is employed.

(c) The department shall develop procedures to ensure that certified nurse assistants employed by intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled/habilitative and intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled/nursing shall not be required to obtain multiple criminal record clearances.

(d) For the purpose of this article:

(1) “Nurse assistant” means any unlicensed aide, assistant, or orderly, who performs nursing services directed at the safety, comfort, personal hygiene, or protection of patients in a skilled nursing or intermediate care facility.

(2) “Approved training program” means a program for the training of nurse assistants that meets the criteria established and approved under this chapter.

(3) “Certified nurse assistant” means any person who holds himself or herself out as a certified nurse assistant and who, for compensation, performs basic patient care services directed at the safety, comfort, personal hygiene, and protection of patients, and is certified as having completed the requirements of this article. These services shall not include any services which may only be performed by a licensed person and otherwise shall be performed under the supervision of a registered nurse, as defined in Section 2725 of the Business and Professions Code, or a licensed vocational nurse, as defined in Section 2859 of the Business and Professions Code.

(4) “State department” means the State Department of Public Health.

(Amended by Stats. 2009, 4th Ex. Sess., Ch. 5, Sec. 8. Effective July 28, 2009.)