HHSC Adopts Infection Control Training Requirements, CMS Strongly Recommends Targeted COVID-19 Training

HHSC Long-term Care Regulation has published updates to the following rules, each of which requires infection control training:

Nurse Aides

• Nursing facility rules located in 26 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 554, effective Jan. 2, 2022, add infection prevention and control training to annual in-service training for nurse aides.
• Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program rules located in 26 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 556, effective Aug. 8, requires all nurse aides to complete a course in infection control each year.

Nursing Facility Administrators

• Nursing facility administrator rules located in 26 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 555, effective Nov. 14, require all administrators to complete a course in infection control and personal protective equipment each year. Administrators in training must complete the course as part of their internship.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services strongly encourages all nurse aides and nursing facility administrators to take the CMS Targeted COVID-19 Training for frontline staff (nurse aides) or management (administrators) to meet the infection control training requirement.

Take the training here.