326-B:14 Scope of Practice; Licensed Nursing Assistant. –
I. An LNA shall, with or without compensation or personal profit, practice under the supervision of an RN, APRN, or LPN.
II. An LNA is responsible for competency in the nursing assistant curriculum approved by the board.
II-a. An LNA is authorized to administer medication if:
(a) The LNA holds a currently valid certificate of medication administration; or
(b) A licensed nurse delegates the task of medication administration to the LNA who is employed in the home care, hospice, residential care, public school, or adult day care setting. The board, in consultation with the commissioner of health and human services or a designee, shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A establishing standards for such delegation of medication administration which include, but are not limited to, limitations on the number of delegations per assistive personnel, training and competency requirements, documentation requirements, and medication administration error reporting requirements.
III. Following successful completion of the curriculum, a nursing assistant shall be able to:
(a) Form a relationship, communicate, and interact effectively with individuals and groups.
(b) Demonstrate comprehension related to individuals' emotional, mental, physical, and social health needs through skillful, direct nursing-related activities.
(c) Assist individuals to attain and maintain functional independence.
(d) Exhibit behaviors supporting and promoting care recipients' rights.
(e) Demonstrate observational and documenting skills required for reporting of people's health, safety, welfare, physical and mental condition, and general well-being.
(f) Provide safe nursing-related activities under the supervision of an RN or an LPN.
IV. LNAs may perform tasks not addressed in the basic curriculum required for licensure if they obtain additional training in the performance of such tasks through programs approved by the board. Additional tasks may be delegated provided:
(a) The task has been properly delegated to the nursing assistant by the supervising licensed nurse pursuant to RSA 326-B:28.
(b) The task has not been made exempt from nursing assistant practice.
(c) The policies of the employing health care facility allow the delegation of the task to an LNA.
V. Any expansion of the scope of practice shall be adopted by legislation in accordance with RSA 332-G:6.
Source. 2005, 293:1. 2009, 54:4. 2015, 239:1. 2016, 273:2, eff. June 16, 2016. 2020, 6:4, eff. Mar. 9, 2020.