Florida Staffing Rules in Assisted Living

Assisted living facilities are designed for seniors who need help with daily activities but do not require around-the-clock nursing home care. According to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, assisted living facilities are less restrictive and more homelike than nursing homes. If you are looking for such a facility n Florida, make sure the ones you're considering are licensed. Be aware of state laws and administrative rules outlining staff requirements for assisted living facilities.

Administrators and Managers

• The administrator of an assisted living facility may direct the operations of up to three buildings on a single campus. Each facility must have its own manager, however. An administrator or manager must be at least 21 years old, have at least a high school education, undergo a background check and have taken a core training course approved by the state. If an administrator or manager is not on the premises, there must be a written order designating which staff member is in charge of the facility.

Direct-Care Staff

• Newly hired staff members must provide documentation that they do not have communicable diseases, particularly tuberculosis. All staff must be tested annually for TB. Staff must be appropriately certified or licensed, if necessary, and must take a training course approved by the state. Prospective staff members must undergo background screening for criminal activity.

  In facilities with 17 or more residents, at least one staff member must be awake and available 24 hours a day. At least one staff member trained in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation must be in the facility at all times. Medications can be administered only by licensed nurses either employed by the facility or on contract from an outside agency.

Staffing Levels

• Minimum staffing levels are defined in terms of staff hours per week. The calculation includes only the hours of staff members who are on duty and providing direct care to residents. The state regulation has a sliding scale based on the number of residents, ranging from 168 hours per week for a facility with up to 5 residents to 539 hours per week for a facility with 86 to 95 residents. An additional 42 staff hours are needed for every 20 residents over the age of 95.

Staff Schedules

• It may be necessary for an assisted living facility to provide more than minimum staffing to meet residents' needs. A law that took effect in April 2010 requires each facility to maintain written work schedules reflecting its staffing patterns for a given period of time. Schedules for direct0care staff must be made available to residents or their representatives upon request.