Rule 111-8-50-.09 - Use of Restraints, Isolation and RestrictionsEach resident must be free from actual or threatened physical restraints, isolation or restrictions on mobility within or outside the facility grounds, including the use of drugs to limit mobility, activity and functional capacity or the use of any other restrictions, except to the minimum extent necessary to protect the resident from immediate injury to the resident or to any other person. Restraints are defined to include, but not limited to, any contrivance, situation, safety device, or medication that has the purposeful or incidental effect of restricting a resident's mobility within or outside of the facility grounds. All authorization and use of restraints, restrictions, or isolation must be documented in the resident's medical file.
(a) Restraints, restrictions, or isolation may not be used for punishment, incentive, behavior conditioning or modification, convenience of the facility or any purpose other than to protect the resident from immediate injury to himself or to any other person.(b) Except in an emergency situation described in subsection (c) of this rule, below, restraints, restrictions, or isolation must be authorized as follows:1. Prior to authorizing restraints, restrictions, or isolation, the attending physician shall make a personal examination and individualized determination that such restraint, restriction, or isolation is necessary to protect the resident or other persons from immediate injury; and2. The physician shall specify the length of time for which such restraint, restriction, or isolation is authorized. Such authorization may not exceed 65 days for intermediate care home residents or 35 days for skilled nursing home residents, but in no event shall such restraint, restriction, or isolation be used beyond the period of actual need to protect the resident or other persons from immediate injury. Any period beyond that specified shall be regarded as a new period and all requirements for the use of such restraints, restriction or isolation must be met.(c) In an emergency situation severely threatening the health or safety of the resident or others, restraints, restrictions, or isolation may be authorized only by the person in charge. In an emergency situation, restraints, restrictions or isolation may be used only for 12 hours from the time of onset of the emergency situation. Beyond the 12-hour period, restraints, restrictions, or isolation may not be used unless it is in accordance with subsection (b) of this rule.(d) The resident and guardian or persons designated by the resident, if any, shall be immediately informed of the need for such restraints, restrictions or isolation, the reasons for such use, and the time specified for such use.(e) A restrained or isolated resident shall be monitored by staff at least every hour. A restrained or isolated resident must be released and exercised every two hours except during normal sleeping hours. Such activities shall be documented in the resident's record.(f) A resident who is restrained, restricted or isolated pursuant to this section shall retain all other rights and responsibilities provided by these rules and regulations.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 111-8-50-.09
O.C.G.A. §§ 31-2-4et seq., 31-8-109 and 31-8-127.
Original Rule entitled "Use of Restraints, Isolation or Restrictions" adopted. F. Feb. 20, 2013; eff. Mar. 12, 2013.