KDHE Home - News 2000 - News Release
Kansas
Department of Health & Environment
Bill Graves, Governor
Clyde D. Graeber, Secretary
For Immediate Release
Contact: Mike Heideman, 785-296-5795
Governor Proclaims 10th Anniversary of Kansas Nurse Aide Registry
Governor Bill Graves has proclaimed January 2, 2001, as "Kansas Nurse Aide Registry Day." That date marks the tenth anniversary of operation of the Kansas Nurse Aide Registry.
The Kansas Nurse Aide Registry (KNAR) was established to help maintain the safety and health of Kansas adult care home residents. Nursing home administrators and others frequently contact the registry to learn if nurse aides have abuse, neglect or exploitation findings on record. As of November 30, there were 584 confirmed records of abuse, neglect or exploitation on the registry. The Kansas Nurse Aide Registry, operated by the KDHE Bureau of Health Facilities, Health Occupations Credentialing (HOC), began taking phone inquiries on January 2, 1991. Since then, the registry operator has responded to nearly 225,000 phone inquiries, and more than 240,000 confirmation notices have been issued. This averages out to nearly 2,000 phone inquiries and more than 2,000 confirmation notices per month.
"Four people have served as KNAR operators," said Lesa Roberts, Director of Health Occupations Credentialing. "Since the launch of a new computer system in January 2000, the average number of calls per day has risen to 120."
The registry operator also provides written verifications of credentialed status to other state registries when an aide certified in Kansas seeks certification in another state. Employment verification information is requested annually from adult care homes in the state. Additionally, information on newly certified nurse aides is entered into the database.
The KNAR was established as a result of the federal Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Acts of 1987 and 1989. Federal laws require that each state establish and maintain a registry of certified nurse aides.-30-