Clarification on Role of LPNs in Nurse Aide Training Programs

For Nurse Aide Training Programs under BPSS, traditionally Licensed Practical Nurses used to be able to teach the classroom-only portions of the Nurse Aide curriculum. To align BPSS requirements with those of the Department of Health, the scope of the BPSS teacher license 02-004 for LPNs is changed to “Internship only.” LPNs employed by the training program and duly licensed as BPSS teachers can supervise the students during the 30-hour Supervised Clinical Training (internship) in a Residential Healthcare Facility (RHCF)/Nursing Home, under the general supervision of the school’s Program Coordinator (which in BPSS schools is same person as the Primary Instructor). The classroom portion, both theory and skills, should be taught by an RN with either 02-003 or 02-005 (Primary Instructor/Program Coordinator).

The student/nurse ratio during the Supervised Clinical Training is also changed from 1:10 to 1:8.

The justification for these changes is found on p. 7 of the Department of Health’s NEW YORK STATE NURSING HOME NURSE AIDE TRAINING PROGRAM AND CERTIFICATION booklet (Jan. 2017) 

“During the supervised clinical training period (at least 30 hours) of the NATP, the nurse aide trainees must be under the direct supervision of a New York State licensed nurse. The nurse (RN or LPN) may not be the charge nurse due to the need for continuous direct supervision of the trainees. If the supervising clinical training nurse is not the PC or PI, the supervising clinical training nurse is under the direction of the PC who retrains responsibility for the clinical portion of the training program. The ratio of trainees to trainee supervisor may be no more that 8:1 to ensure adequate supervision and instruction during the clinical portion of the training program.”

The implementation of this change is your next nurse aide class, starting on or after 10-23-2017.