Nurse Aides
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Information and Rules

"Unlicensed assistive personnel" is an umbrella term used to describe unlicensed health care assistants that have been trained to provide certain tasks of client care as directed by a licensed health care provider. Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP) include but are not limited to the following specific job titles: Nurse Aides/Certified Nursing Assistants, Patient Care Aides/Home Health Aides/Patient Care Technicians, Medical Office Assistants, Medical Assistants, Medication Aides, and Medication Technicians. UAP may work in a variety of healthcare settings including, but not limited to hospitals, skill nursing facilities, adult care facilities, home care, office/ambulatory care practice settings, and various community health environments (i.e.: schools, correctional facilities, clinics).

The Division of Health Service Regulation (DHSR) approves the Educational Programs for the Nurse Aide I (NA I) and Medication Aide and develops the curriculum for the Nurse Aide I. The North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON) approves Nurse Aide II (NA II) Educational Programs and develops the curriculum for Nurse Aide II training. In addition the North Carolina Board of Nursing approves the faculty for Medication Aide Programs.

Division of Health Service Regulation maintains the Nurse Aide I and the Medication Aides Registries. The North Carolina Board of Nursing maintains the Nurse Aide II Registry, however, all concerns/complaints regarding Nurse Aides (I or II) or Medication Aides are made to the Division of Health Service Regulation.

Refer to Decision Tree for Delegation to UAP for more information on appropriate delegation to Unlicensed Assistive Personnel (UAP).

Additional Resources

Nurse Aide I Tasks

Nurse Aide II Tasks

Nurse Aide I + 4 Process

As of January 1, 2019, the North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON) no longer receives notification from an agency regarding the skills selected, changed, or deleted for Nurse Aide I + 4.

The Nurse Aide I + 4 process is as follows:

  1. Up to 4 Nurse Aide II skills can be selected by an agency. Note: That 1-4 skills can be selected, and only those skills can be included in the Nurse Aide I + 4 designation for the agency. All units in the agency do not have to do all selected skills, but alternative skills may not be substituted on a unit by unit basis for the selected 1-4 skills for the Nurse Aide I + 4 designation.
  2. All of the skills selected for Nurse Aide I + 4 must be taught using the designated NCBON required modules. This includes fulfilling the timeframe required for each module (found at the start of each module). Each Nurse Aide must then have skill competency validated and a record of the education and skill validation using the appropriate skill competency checklist must be retained by the agency. The education and the skill validation must be done by a Registered Nurse. Note: The Registered Nurse retains the responsibility and accountability for appropriate delegation, and must be certain that the Nurse Aide has completed the education and skill competency validation and that the patient status is appropriate for the skill assignment before assigning the task even if the Nurse Aide has the Nurse Aide I + 4 designation.
  3. There is no listing process for a Nurse Aide I + 4, but the Nurse Aide I must hold current Nurse Aide I listing on the DHSR Registry.
  4. The Nurse Aide I + 4 skills, education and competency validation is agency specific. The Nurse Aide I is not approved for the skills at any other agency.
  5. Written policies and procedures must be in place for each skill based on the NCBON Nurse Aide II Module (Developed by your agency based on module selected).
  6. Formal education and competency validation of Nurse Aide II skills must be performed by a Registered Nurse with an unrestricted license to practice.
  7. A record of Nurse Aide I + 4 skills, education and competency validation must be kept at said agency.
  8. A Nurse Aide I is not approved for Nurse Aide II skills except the approved Nurse Aide I + 4 skills within the agency. Additional skills performance requires education and credentialing as a Nurse Aide II.
  9. Although the Nurse Aide I may complete the Nurse Aide I + 4 education and competency validation of skills, the Registered Nurse is still responsible for:
    1. Making appropriate decisions related to delegation for each patient, each skill, and the aide to whom he/she is delegating.
    2. Assessing the patient and the patient's response to care, for assuring that the skill has been carried out appropriately, and for planning, modifying, and evaluating care. All judgement related to the patient care situation remains with the Registered Nurse.

NOTE: Sterile Technique is not an individual task listed on the NAII Task List and does not count as one of the four tasks selected for the NAI+4 option. Rather, sterile technique is a skill that MUST be taught using the NAII Training Module #3 Sterile Technique as a required component of the following NAII Training Modules: #4-Wound Care, #5-Suctioning, #6-Tracheostomy Care, #7-Peripheral IV Fluids, and #8-Urinary Catheterization.

The Nurse Aide II process is as follows:

  1. Offering of the course must be approved by NCBON via an application that can be obtained from the Practice Department at [email protected].
  2. All of the required modules must be taught using the required timeframe identified for each module. A total of 80 hours of theory (more if including the fingerstick module) and 80 hours of direct patient care supervised by an NCBON-approved Nurse Aide II instructor must be completed.
  3. Nurse Aide skill competency validation must be done by an NCBON-approved Nurse Aide II instructor for all skills using the NCBON required skill competency checklists.
  4. The approved instructor must validate the Nurse Aide in the NCBON electronic Nurse Aide II Registry. The Nurse Aide must complete the process within 30 days of completion of the course in order to be listed. If the process is not completed within the required timeframe, the Nurse Aide will not be listed, and will have to retake the course.

You may not alter the timeframe for any of the modules if you are seeking Nurse Aide I + 4 designation or Nurse Aide II listing for the staff in your system.

If neither of these processes meet your needs, you may instead use the Decision Tree for Delegation to UAP. If you choose to use this method for delegation, note that there must be:

  1. Written policies and procedures.
  2. Formal education and competency validation of skills by a Registered Nurse.
  3. A record of the education and skill validation must be kept.
  4. The Registered Nurse must make appropriate decisions related to delegation for each patient, each skill, and the aide to whom he/she is delegating.
  5. The Registered Nurse retains responsibility for assessment of the patient and the patient's response to care, for assuring that the skill has been carried out appropriately, and for planning, modifying, and evaluating care. All judgement related to the patient care situation remains with the Registered Nurse.

Nurse Aide II Program Guidelines

Nurse Aide II Teaching Modules

Last Changed 22-Jan-2024

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