The Florida Senate

400.211  Persons employed as nursing assistants; certification requirement.--

(1)  To serve as a nursing assistant in any nursing home, a person must be certified as a nursing assistant under part II of chapter 464, unless the person is a registered nurse or practical nurse licensed in accordance with part I of chapter 464 or an applicant for such licensure who is permitted to practice nursing in accordance with rules adopted by the Board of Nursing pursuant to part I of chapter 464.

(2)  The following categories of persons who are not certified as nursing assistants under part II of chapter 464 may be employed by a nursing facility for a period of 4 months:

(a)  Persons who are enrolled in, or have completed, a state-approved nursing assistant program; or

(b)  Persons who have been positively verified as actively certified and on the registry in another state with no findings of abuse; or

(c)  Persons who have preliminarily passed the state's certification exam.

The certification requirement must be met within 4 months after initial employment as a nursing assistant in a licensed nursing facility.

(3)  Nursing homes shall require persons seeking employment as a certified nursing assistant to submit an employment history to the facility. The facility shall verify the employment history unless, through diligent efforts, such verification is not possible. There shall be no monetary liability on the part of, and no cause of action for damages shall arise against, a former employer who reasonably and in good faith communicates his or her honest opinion about a former employee's job performance.

History.--ss. 2, 3, ch. 82-163; ss. 29, 79, 82, 83, ch. 83-181; s. 1, ch. 86-253; s. 8, ch. 89-294; s. 61, ch. 92-136; s. 30, ch. 93-177; ss. 28, 49, ch. 93-217; s. 49, ch. 94-218; s. 1054, ch. 95-148; s. 38, ch. 95-228; s. 127, ch. 95-418; s. 10, ch. 96-268; s. 24, ch. 98-166; s. 3, ch. 98-248; s. 120, ch. 99-8; s. 206, ch. 99-397; s. 95, ch. 2000-318.