Health & Saf. Code, § 1265.6

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a registered nurse within his or her scope of practice may require direct care staff in an intermediate care facility/developmentally disabled habilitative or an intermediate care facility/developmentally disabled-nursing to administer blood glucose testing for a person with developmental disabilities who resides at the facility and who has diabetes, if all of the following criteria are met:

(a) The blood glucose testing is specifically ordered by a physician. The results of the testing shall be reported to a registered nurse as specified in the physician’s order.

(b) Prior to performing the blood glucose testing, the direct care staff shall be trained by the registered nurse to perform the testing and shall demonstrate proficiency in performing the testing while under the immediate supervision of the registered nurse.

(c) Training of direct care staff to perform blood glucose testing shall include, but not be limited to, an overview of the basic disease process of type I and type II diabetes, recognition of the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, the role of nutrition management in diabetes, diabetes and blood sugar control, long-term complications of diabetes, specific instruction in utilizing and the use of a specific over-the-counter glucose monitoring device that is approved by the FDA, including the cleaning and maintaining the accuracy of the client-specific glucose monitoring device, proper infection control practices related to the use of the device, including the handling and disposal of infectious waste, and recording accurate records of blood glucose readings in the client medical record. Records of blood glucose readings shall be reviewed by the facility registered nurse at least monthly.

(d) A signed written statement shall be prepared by the registered nurse that includes a certification of the direct care staff’s competence to perform the testing and that identifies the clients residing at the facility for whom the certification is applicable. This certification shall be placed and maintained in the direct care staff’s training record.

(e) The certification of competence to perform the blood glucose testing shall be procedure and client specific, and shall not be transferred between clients residing at the facility or other facilities.

(f) The registered nurse shall be responsible for monitoring and implementing the direct care staff blood glucose testing. At least once every three months, the registered nurse shall observe and confirm the direct care staff person’s proficiency in performing the approved testing and shall update the certification. The proficiency determination shall include a determination by the registered nurse that the direct care staff remains proficient in demonstrating the specified method for cleaning and recalibration of the glucose monitoring device.

(g) A registered nurse shall provide continuing in-service education on the management of diabetes and the use of blood glucose monitoring devices not less than once per year and include documentation of the content of the training and the staff who were in attendance.

(h) A facility shall develop a written policy and procedure governing blood glucose testing for clients residing at the facility that shall include procedures for the training and competency assessment of direct care staff as required by this section.

(i) A facility shall have received a certificate of waiver pursuant to subdivision (n) of Section 483.460 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations prior to the implementation of blood glucose testing and shall retain a copy of the CLIA waiver for inspection by the department.