Texas HCSSA Additional 16 Hours · Hospice
A 16-hour self-paced course covering the administrator subjects in 26 TAC 558.259(d), followed by hospice operations and the nutrition subject applicable to inpatient hospice services.
Who this course is for
Texas HCSSA administrators and alternate administrators.
A nursing license is not required merely to take this course. State designation qualifications may include separate education, experience, or professional-license requirements.
- Clock hours
- 16.0
- Format
- Self-paced online
- Final assessment
- 50 questions
- Course price
- $125
What you will be prepared to do
These outcomes come directly from the reviewed course modules. They describe what the instruction teaches, not a promise that course completion alone qualifies someone for a position or license.
- Distinguish fraud, waste, and abuse, identify the federal and Texas agencies that enforce program integrity, and connect those concepts to the agency's duties under 26 TAC 558.254 and 558.255.
- Explain the federal Patient Self-Determination Act duties in 42 CFR 489.102, including the timing of written information for home health agencies, personal care services, and hospices.
- Apply the written policy, notice, informed consent, payment information, and legal representative provisions of 26 TAC 558.282 to agency intake and admission.
- Explain how the license holder's duties in 558.241 and the written organizational structure in 558.242 establish accountability for agency compliance.
- Explain the complaint duties in 26 TAC 558.250, 558.282, 558.292, and 558.287 and Texas Health and Safety Code 142.009(b) and 142.0093, including the written notice clients receive at admission.
- Identify each required element of the written emergency preparedness and response plan under 26 TAC 558.256 and who must develop, maintain, and implement it.
How the course works
The passing score is 80%. Questions and answer choices are randomized. After three failed attempts, you review the missed modules before receiving another randomized attempt set.
- 1
Complete the lessons
Work through each lesson and complete the required engaged seat time. Progress saves as you go.
- 2
Use the knowledge checks
Each module includes ungraded practice with immediate explanations and unlimited retries.
- 3
Take the final assessment
The assessment is untimed, saves your answers, and remains resumable for 24 hours after your last activity.
- 4
Receive your certificate
After you pass and complete the required identity step, AdminClear issues the certificate and adds it to your account record.
Complete course outline
Open any module to see its main objective, lesson count, practice-question count, time allocation, and governing requirement.
Module 1Fraud and abuse detection and prevention
Distinguish fraud, waste, and abuse, identify the federal and Texas agencies that enforce program integrity, and connect those concepts to the agency's duties under 26 TAC 558.254 and 558.255.
- practice questions
- 4
- Requirement covered
- 26 TAC 558.259(d)(1): the additional 16 clock hours for a first-time administrator and alternate administrator must include information regarding fraud and abuse detection and prevention
Module 2Legal issues regarding advance directives
Explain the federal Patient Self-Determination Act duties in 42 CFR 489.102, including the timing of written information for home health agencies, personal care services, and hospices.
- practice questions
- 4
- Requirement covered
- 26 TAC 558.259(d): legal issues regarding advance directives, as part of the 16 additional clock hours a first-time administrator or alternate administrator completes within 12 months after designation
Module 3Client rights, including confidentiality
Apply the written policy, notice, informed consent, payment information, and legal representative provisions of 26 TAC 558.282 to agency intake and admission.
- practice questions
- 4
- Requirement covered
- 26 TAC 558.259(d)(3): client rights, including the right to confidentiality, as part of the additional 16 clock hours a first-time administrator and alternate administrator must complete before the end of the first 12 months after designation
Module 4Agency responsibilities
Explain how the license holder's duties in 558.241 and the written organizational structure in 558.242 establish accountability for agency compliance.
- practice questions
- 4
- Requirement covered
- 26 TAC 558.259(d): agency responsibilities, one of the subjects of the additional 16 clock hours a first-time administrator or alternate administrator must complete within the first 12 months after designation
Module 5Complaint investigation and resolution
Explain the complaint duties in 26 TAC 558.250, 558.282, 558.292, and 558.287 and Texas Health and Safety Code 142.009(b) and 142.0093, including the written notice clients receive at admission.
- practice questions
- 4
- Requirement covered
- 26 TAC 558.259(d)(5): complaint investigation and resolution, one of the required subjects of the additional 16 clock hours a first-time administrator or alternate administrator completes before the end of the first 12 months after designation
Module 6Emergency preparedness planning and implementation
Identify each required element of the written emergency preparedness and response plan under 26 TAC 558.256 and who must develop, maintain, and implement it.
- practice questions
- 4
- Requirement covered
- 26 TAC 558.259(d): within 12 months after designation, a first-time administrator or alternate administrator completes 16 additional clock hours of training, including emergency preparedness planning and implementation (26 TAC 558.256)
Module 7Abuse, neglect, and exploitation: recognition, reporting, investigation
Apply the Human Resources Code 48.002 definitions and the 26 TAC 558.249(a) cross-references to decide whether conduct involving an HCSSA client is abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, or exploitation, including financial exploitation.
- practice questions
- 4
- Requirement covered
- 26 TAC 558.259(d): additional 16 clock hours of training for first-time administrators and alternate administrators, completed within 12 months after designation; this module covers abuse, neglect, and exploitation: recognition, reporting, and investigation
Module 8Infection control
Explain what 26 TAC 558.285 requires of every Texas HCSSA, including the laws its policies must cover and the client infection documentation required for each license category.
- practice questions
- 4
- Requirement covered
- 26 TAC 558.259(d): a first-time administrator or alternate administrator completes 16 additional clock hours of training within 12 months after designation; this module addresses infection control under 26 TAC 558.285 (and 558.853 for licensed hospices), 42 CFR 484.70 and 418.60 for Medicare-certified agencies, and reporting under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 81 and 25 TAC Chapter 97
Module 9Hospice operations and nutrition
Explain how 26 TAC Chapter 558, Subchapter H, and 42 CFR Part 418 apply to a Texas hospice, including the licensing steps for a hospice inpatient unit (558.30, 558.801).
- practice questions
- 4
- Requirement covered
- 26 TAC 558.259(d): nutrition, for agencies licensed for inpatient hospice; other topics related to the duties of an administrator
What happens after you pass
Certificate issuance is separate from the assessment score. Required seat time, module completion, a passing assessment, and identity verification must all be present.
- Download the certificate PDF in English or Spanish when that course language is available.
- The certificate records the course, clock hours, start date, completion date, trainer, provider, and certificate number.
- An issued certificate includes a signed QR link to its public verification record.
- The agency record and training requirements recalculate after issuance.
Published course description
Published October 15, 2026. This course description and the Refund Policy are published before Texas sales are enabled.
Read the Refund Policy