N.J. Admin. Code § 8:42-7.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 8, April 15, 2024

Section 8:42-7.3 - Nursing staff qualifications and responsibilities

(a) The governing authority of an agency shall:

1. Appoint a full-time director of nursing who shall be available at all times; and

2. Designate in writing, to act in the absence of the director of nursing, one or more alternates who are registered professional nurses.

(b) A registered professional nurse shall be available for each agency branch office during its hours of operation to provide clinical supervision.

(c) An agency shall ensure that the registered professional nurses and licensed practical nurses it retains to provide nursing services to patients:

1. Hold the applicable credentials issued by the Board of Nursing pursuant to 45:11-23 et seq., and provide verification of those credentials to the agency, which the agency maintains in the agency personnel record for that nursing professional;

2. Provide nursing services within their respective scopes of practice pursuant to 45:11-23 et seq., and the rules promulgated thereunder;

3. Promote, maintain, and restore health;

4. Prevent infection, accident, and injury;

5. Perform initial patient assessments and identify each patient's service needs upon admission to the nursing service.

i. Only registered professional nurses are to perform patient assessments;

6. Reassess each patient's nursing care needs on an ongoing, patient-specific basis;

7. Provide care that is consistent with each patient's medical plan of treatment;

8. Monitor each patient's response to nursing care;

9. Teach, supervise, and counsel each patient, patients' family members, and staff regarding nursing care and each patient's needs, including other related problems of each patient.

i. Only registered professional nurses are to initiate these functions and, thereafter, delegate selected tasks to nursing personnel; and

10. Administer medications in accordance with applicable Federal and State law.

(d) An agency shall ensure that a registered professional nurse contacts a patient regarding clinical issues within one hour of the patient's call to the agency.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:42-7.3

Amended by 48 N.J.R. 1445(a), effective 7/18/2016

Amended by 55 N.J.R. 2546(a), effective 12/18/2023