Senate passes bill for conditional nursing home employees

Applicants who’ve not been cleared through a security check would be allowed to go to work in Iowa nursing homes under legislation which cleared the Iowa Senate Tuesday. The “conditional employees” would be restricted to day-time work hours and must be supervised. Senator Nancy Boettger says the state background checks take up to three weeks to complete, making it hard fornursing homes to keep up their staffing levels. Those convicted of felony assault or adult abuse would be barred from nursing home jobs. But sixSenators were skeptical and voted against the bill, including Jack Rife, a Republican from Durant. Rife says if it keeps one abuse case from happening than it is worth it to not hurry. The bill now goes to the House.