Section 39.7. Subject matter for examinations

(a) Every applicant for a license as a nursing home administrator, after meeting the requirements for qualification for examination as set forth in the act, shall successfully pass both a written examination given by professional examination services and a written or oral examination or both based on the rules and regulations which shall include, but need not be limited to, the following subjects:

(1) Applicable standards of environmental health and safety.

(2) Health and safety rules and regulations.

(3) General administration.

(4) Psychology of patient care.

(5) Principles of medical care.

(6) Personal and social care.

(7) Therapeutic and supportive care and services in long-term care.

(8) Departmental organization and management.

(9) Community interrelationships.

(b) The following shall be considered as guidelines with respect to the subjects for the written examinations:

(1) Applicable standards of environmental health and safety which includes the following:

(i) Hygiene and sanitation.

(ii) Communicable diseases.

(iii) Management of isolation.

(iv) The total environment, including noise, color, orientation, stimulation, temperature, lighting and air circulation.

(v) Elements of accident prevention.

(vi) Special architectural needs of nursing home patients.

(vii) Drug handling and control.

(viii) Safety factors in oxygen usage.

(2) Health and safety rules and regulations including applicable local, State and Federal regulations.

(3) General administration which shall include the following:

(i) Institutional administration.

(ii) Planning, organizing, directing, controlling, staffing, coordinating and budgeting.

(iii) Human relations, including the following:

(A) Management/employe interrelationships.

(B) Employe/employe interrelationships.

(C) Employe/patient interrelationships.

(D) Employe/family interrelationships.

(4) Training of personnel which shall include the following:

(i) Training of employe to become sensitive to patient needs.

(ii) Ongoing inservice training and education.

(5) Psychology of patient care which shall include the following:

(i) Anxiety.

(ii) Depression.

(iii) Drugs, alcohol and their effect.

(iv) Motivation.

(v) Separation reaction.

(6) Principles of medical care which shall include the following:

(i) Anatomy and physiology.

(ii) Psychology.

(iii) Disease recognition.

(iv) Disease processes.

(v) Nutrition.

(vi) Aging processes.

(vii) Medical terminology.

(viii) Materia medica.

(ix) Medical social service.

(x) Utilization review.

(xi) Professional and medical ethics.

(7) Personal and social care, including the following:

(i) Resident and patient care planning.

(ii) Activity programming, which shall include the following:

(A) Patient participation.

(B) Recreation.

(iii) Environmental adjustment, including interrelationships between patient and the following:

(A) Patient.

(B) Staff, including staff sensitivity to patient needs as a therapeutic function.

(C) Family and friends.

(D) Administrator.

(E) Management, including self-government and patient council.

(iv) Rehabilitation and restorative activities, including the following:

(A) Training in activities of daily living.

(B) Techniques of group therapy.

(v) Interdisciplinary interpretation of patient care to the following individuals:

(A) The patient.

(B) The staff.

(C) The family.

(8) Therapeutic and supportive care and services in long-term care which shall include the following:

(i) Individual care planning as it embraces therapeutic care and supporting services.

(ii) Meaningful observations of patient behavior as related to total patient care.

(iii) Interdisciplinary evaluation and revision of patient care plans and procedures.

(iv) Unique aspects and requirements of geriatric patient care.

(v) Professional staff interrelationships with patient’s physician.

(vi) Professional ethics and conduct.

(vii) Rehabilitative and remotivational role of individual therapeutic and supportive services.

(viii) Psychological, social and religious needs, in addition to physical needs of patient.

(ix) Needs for dental services.

(9) Departmental organization and management, including the following:

(i) Criteria for coordinating establishment of Departmental and unit objectives.

(ii) Reporting and accountability of individual Departments to administrator.

(iii) Criteria for Departmental evaluation which shall include nursing, food, service, therapeutic services, maintenance and housekeeping.

(iv) Techniques of providing adequate professional, therapeutic, supportive and administrative services.

(v) The following departments may be used in relating matters of organization and management:

(A) Nursing.

(B) Housekeeping.

(C) Dietary.

(D) Laundry.

(E) Pharmaceutical services.

(F) Social service.

(G) Business office.

(H) Recreation.

(I) Medical records.

(J) Admitting.

(K) Physical therapy.

(L) Occupational therapy.

(M) Medical and dental services.

(N) Laboratories.

(O) X-ray.

(P) Maintenance.

(10) Community interrelationships, including the following:

(i) Community medical care, rehabilitative and social services resources.

(ii) Other community resources, including the following:

(A) Religious institutions.

(B) Schools.

(C) Service agencies.

(D) Government agencies.

(iii) Third-party payment organizations.

(iv) Comprehensive health planning agencies.

(v) Volunteers and auxiliaries.

(c) Nothing contained in subsections (a) and (b) will preclude the Board from exempting a candidate from examination on subjects and knowledge which shall be in derogation of or in conflict with the teachings and practices of recognized religious faith of the candidate.

(d) For the examination composed by the Board, the Board will either prepare its own examination or use the services of a professional testing service it may deem appropriate.

The provisions of this § 39.7 adopted January 28, 1972, effective January 29, 1972, 2 Pa.B. 2244; amended April 23, 1976, effective April 24, 1976, 6 Pa.B. 2241; amended March 5, 1976, effective March 6, 1976, 6 Pa.B. 418. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (26524) and (26525).