N.J. Admin. Code § 5:27A-6.1

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 5:27A-6.1 - Resident care policies and procedures

(a) Written resident care policies and procedures shall be established, implemented, and reviewed at intervals specified in the policies and procedures. Each review of the policies and procedures shall be documented. Policies and procedures shall include, but not be limited to, policies and procedures regarding the following:

1. Resident rights;

2. The determination of staffing levels to ensure a minimum of one hour of resident supervision for each resident of the facility during each 24-hour period. Supervision may be provided by on-duty employees who are engaged in the direct supervision and care of residents, and also by those providing basic services such as food service, housekeeping, laundry and general maintenance, who, by reason of their availability on the premises, provide care and supervision as needed;

3. The referral of residents to health care providers in order to provide a continuum of resident care;

4. Emergency medical and dental care of residents, including notification of the resident's family, guardian, or designated community agency, and care of residents during periods of acute illness;

5. Obtaining written informed consent for any medical procedures performed at the facility which require informed consent by law, and the circumstances under which written informed consent shall be obtained;

6. The control of smoking in the facility in accordance with N.J.S.A. 26:3D-1 et seq. and 26:3D-7 et seq. as follows:

i. Residents shall not be permitted to smoke in their rooms and in other secluded areas;

ii. Restricted smoking areas shall be designated and rules governing such smoking specified and rigidly enforced. Nonflammable ashtrays in sufficient numbers shall be provided in permitted smoking areas. In any area where smoking is permitted, there shall be adequate outside ventilation, as described in (a)6iv below;

iii. A facility may continue to enforce a smoke-free policy in effect prior to September 20, 1999 and shall set forth this policy in its admission agreement;

iv. At the facility's option, it may institute a smoke-free policy. Any prospective smoke-free policy shall be set forth in the facility's admission agreement and shall only apply to residents entering the facility on or after the policy's effective date. The facility shall protect the rights of resident smokers by providing a designated area with adequate outside ventilation for controlled smoking. If inside, the designated smoking room shall be ventilated to prevent recirculation of smoke to other areas of the facility. If outside, the designated area shall provide reasonable protection from inclement weather;

7. Discharge, termination by the facility, transfer, and readmission of residents, including criteria for each;

8. The care and control of pets, if the facility permits pets in the facility or on its premises. (See recommendations set forth in chapter Appendix C.)

9. A system to monitor residents leaving the facility or its premises, which shall include a policy to determine those circumstances where the resident's absence shall be investigated; and

10. Care of deceased residents, including, but not limited to, policies and procedures regarding the following:

i. The resident's family, guardian, or designated community agency shall be notified at the time of death. The deceased shall not be removed from the facility until pronounced dead and the death is documented in the resident's medical record; and

ii. Transportation of the deceased in the facility, and removal from the facility, in a dignified manner.

N.J. Admin. Code § 5:27A-6.1