For nurse aide education, there are currently no waivers in place for clinical sites. Pursuant to 18VAC90-26-50(C)(3), Clinical training in clinical settings shall be at least 40 hours of providing direct client care. Five of the clinical hours may be in a setting other than a geriatric long-term care facility. Hours of observation shall not be included in the required 40 hours of skills training. 35 of the mandated 40 hours of live client clinical shall be performed in a Virginia Department of Health regulated long-term care facility.

The executive orders that permitted clinicals for the CNA program in ALF's expired last year (2021). Five hours may be performed outside of a LTC facility.  Being that it isn’t a full 8 hr shift allowed, if doesn’t make sense to switch students clinical rotations for 5 hours.  We can do clinicals for Medication Aide in ALF's just not CNA.

The new executive orders do not specifically permite training programs or allowing clinicals for students to be held in ALF's.  The order appears to lessen employment restrictions; i.e. how many people a licensed EMT, Pharmacist, etc. may supervise.

We need to have regulations to allow for a variety of clinical training in different settings rather than limiting and restricting the workforce training.