Nursing Services- Staff Ratio Requirements for the State of
California
§72329.
Nursing Service -Staff.
(a) Nursing service personnel shall be employed and on duty
in at least the number and with the qualifications
determined by the Department to provide the necessary
nursing services for patients admitted for care. The
Department may require a facility to provide additional
staff as set forth in Section 72501(g).
(b) Facilities licensed for 59 or fewer beds shall have at
least one registered nurse or a licensed vocational nurse,
awake and on duty, in the facility at all times, day and
night.
(c) Facilities licensed for 60 to 99 beds shall have at
least one registered nurse or licensed vocational nurse,
awake and on duty, in the facility at all times, day and
night, in addition to the director of nursing services. The
director of nursing service shall not have charge nurse
responsibilities.
(d) Facilities licensed for 100 or more beds shall have at
least one registered nurse, awake and on duty, in the
facility at all times, day and night, in addition to the
director of nursing service. The director of nursing service
shall not have charge nurse responsibilities.
(e) Nursing stations shall be staffed with
nursing personnel when patients are housed in the nursing unit.
(1) Facilities which provide care for mentally disordered
patients and in which licensed psychiatric technicians provide
patient care shall meet the following standards:
(A) If patients are not certified for special treatment
programs, facilities shall employ sufficient staff to provide a
minimum daily average of 3.0 nursing hours per patient day.
(B) For patients certified for special treatment programs,
facilities shall employ sufficient staff to provide a minimum
daily average of 2.3 nursing hours per patient day for each
patient certified to the special treatment program, exclusive of
additional staff required to meet the staffing standards of the
special treatment program.
(g) Staffing for a distinct part intermediate care unit in a
skilled nursing facility:
(1) Units of less than 50 intermediate care beds shall not be
required to provide licensed personnel in addition to those
provided in the skilled nursing facility unless the Department
determines through a written evaluation that additional licensed
personnel are necessary to protect the health and safety of
patients.
(2) Units of 50 or more intermediate care beds shall provide a
registered nurse or licensed vocational nurse employed 8 hours
on the day shift, 7 days per week in the unit.
(3) For purposes of this section intermediate care beds that are
licensed as such by the Department shall not be included for
establishing licensed nurse staffing as required in Section
72329(f)(1) if the unit is used exclusively for intermediate
care patients.
Note: Authority cited: Sections 208(a), 1275 and 1276.5, Health
and Safety Code. Reference: Sections 1276 and 1276.5, Health and
Safety Code; and Section 14110.7(c), Welfare and Institutions
Code. |
