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Feeding Assistant Program: Training Requirements

Feeding assistant training programs must follow certain standards. These include being at least eight hours in length and covering certain topics. These topics include how to:

  • Control or stop the spread of infection.
  • Help residents eat and drink.
  • Perform procedures like the Heimlich maneuver.
  • Recognize changes in residents that should be reported to a nurse.
  • Respect residents' rights.
  • Respond to resident behavior.
  • Talk to and interact with residents.

Learn more about the Feeding Assistant Program

In addition to these topics, programs must cover:

  • Population-specific training. That means:
    • An overview of residents' needs, including treatments and services.
    • How to meet the needs of residents with more than one illness. This could be someone with a mental health illness and drug dependence, for example.
    • Instruction on who feeding assistants can help. That doesn't include residents with complicated feeding problems.
  • Training for those who completed a program at another facility. This is so the feeding assistant can understand the needs of the residents they'll now serve.
  • Wisconsin's Caregiver Programs, including:
    • Background check requirements.
    • Rehabilitation review requirements.
    • The definitions of client abuse, neglect, and property theft.
    • The importance of reporting complaints of wrongdoing.

Facilities can add more hours to their program to cover other topics.

Learn more about how we regulate our care programs

Last revised May 2, 2022