Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has issued a 15-day Disaster Declaration and two executive orders to assist Kansas Hospitals and Adult Care Homes struggling with COVID-induced staffing shortages. On Thursday, the Governor’s Office announced Kelly signed a State of Disaster Emergency in an effort to ease the staffing strain in the state’s hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and long-term care facilities due to increase COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations. Kelly also signed executive orders 22-01 which allows physicians assistants, APRNs, RNs, LPNs to do additional duties that might otherwise require supervision. In addition, it allows licensed pharmacists to provide care for routine health maintenance, chronic disease and similar conditions; allows students enrolled in health care programs to volunteer/work in capacities as their education allows; allows medical students, physical therapists and emergency medical personnel to be “respiratory therapist extenders” – assisting with operating ventilators and similar devices; recognizes out-of-state licenses and practicing privileges from other facilities. Executive order 22-02 applies to adult care facilities and extends license renewal and continuing education deadlines; allows for temporary licenses; and creates a temporary aide authorization, allowing for those with certain minimal training to perform certain duties such as infection control and assisting with daily living activities. The move comes as Kansas is seeing record breaking post-holiday spikes in COVID-19 cases.
