Nursing Services Requirements for the State of Pennsylvania

211.12.Nursing services.

(a) The facility shall provide services by sufficient numbers of personnel on a 24-hour basis to provide nursing care to meet the needs of all residents.

(b) There shall be a full-time director of nursing services who shall be a qualified licensed registered nurse.

(c) The director of nursing services shall have, in writing, administrative authority, responsibility and accountability for the functions and activities of the nursing services staff, and shall serve only one facility in this capacity.

(d) The director of nursing services shall be responsible for:

(1)Standards of accepted nursing practice.

(2)Nursing policy and procedure manuals.

(3)Methods for coordination of nursing services with other resident services.

(4)Recommendations for the number and levels of nursing personnel to be employed.

(5)General supervision, guidance and assistance for a resident in implementing the resident’s personal health program to assure that preventive measures, treatments, medications, diet and other health services prescribed are properly carried out and recorded.

(e) The facility shall designate a registered nurse who is responsible for overseeing total nursing activities within the facility on each tour of duty each day of the week.

(f) In addition to the director of nursing services, the following daily professional staff shall be available.

(1) The following minimum nursing staff ratios are required:

(2)When the facility designates an LPN as a nurse who is responsible for overseeing total nursing activities within the facility on the night tour of duty in facilities with a census of 59 or under, a registered nurse shall be on call and located within a 30-minute drive of the facility.

(g) There shall be at least one nursing staff employee on duty per 20 residents.

(h) At least two nursing service personnel shall be on duty.

(i) A minimum number of general nursing care hours shall be provided for each 24-hour period. The total number of hours of general nursing care provided in each 24-hour period shall, when totaled for the entire facility, be a minimum of 2.7 hours of direct resident care for each resident.

(j) Nursing personnel shall be provided on each resident floor.

(k) Weekly time schedules shall be maintained and shall indicate the number and classification of nursing personnel, including relief personnel, who worked on each tour of duty on each nursing unit.

(l) The Department may require an increase in the number of nursing personnel from the minimum requirements if specific situations in the facility—including, but not limited to, the physical or mental condition of residents, quality of nursing care administered, the location of residents, the location of the nursing station and location of the facility—indicate the departures as necessary for the welfare, health and safety of the residents.

Authority: The provisions of this §211.12 amended under section 803 of the Health Care Facilities Act (35 P. S. §448.803); and section 2102(g) of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. §532(g)).

Source: The provisions of this §211.12 adopted August 29, 1975, effective September 1, 1975, 5 Pa.B. 2233; amended January 31, 1987, effective July 1, 1987, except subsections (e) and (f) effective July 1, 1988, 17 Pa.B. 514; amended July 23, 1999, effective July 24, 1999, 29 Pa.B. 3999. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (240337) to (240339).

§211.13.[Reserved].

Source: The provisions of this §211.13 adopted August 29, 1975, effective September 1, 1975, 5 Pa.B. 2233; amended January 31, 1987, effective July 1, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 514; corrected June 19, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 2462; reserved July 23, 1999, effective July 24, 1999, 29 Pa.B. 3999. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (240339) to (240340).

§211.14.[Reserved].

Source: The provisions of this §211.14 adopted August 29, 1975, effective September 1, 1975, 5 Pa.B. 2233; amended January 31, 1987, effective July 1, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 514; reserved July 23, 1999, effective July 24, 1999, 29 Pa.B. 3999. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (240340) to (240341).