Title: Section 713-1.3 - Nursing units

713-1.3 Nursing units.

Each nursing unit shall include the following service areas and shall meet the following minimum requirements:

(a) A nurses' station.

(b) A nurses' call system that can register a call from each resident's bedside, toilet and bathing facilities to the nurses' station. The call system shall also register a visual signal at each resident's doorway, the clean room, soiled workroom and nourishment station on the nursing unit.

(c) A minimum of one clean utility room and one soiled utility room on each resident floor.

(d) A storage and preparation area for drugs and biologicals.

(e) Storage area, adequate for resident needs and equipment. This space may be located in any accessible section of the facility.

(f) There shall be a maximum of four certified beds in any resident bedroom.

(g) Single resident bedrooms shall have a minimum usable floor area of one hundred square feet per bed, exclusive of closets, toilets and vestibules. Multi-resident bedrooms shall have a minimum usable floor area of eighty square feet per bed, exclusive of closets, toilets and vestibules.

(h) Resident bedrooms shall be designed and equipped for adequate nursing care, comfort and privacy of the residents and shall comply with the following:

(1) Placement of residents' beds shall be such that a bed may be approached from at least one side and one end. No bed shall be closer than three feet to a window, radiator, or an adjacent bed.

(2) All beds in multi-resident rooms shall have flame-retardant cubicle curtains for resident privacy.

(3) Resident bedrooms shall be arranged and furnished so that it shall be possible to move a resident from a bed to a stretcher and in or out of the room without moving other beds in the room.

(4) A closet or locker, measuring at least eighteen inches by eighteen inches by sixty inches high or the equivalent thereof, acceptable to the department, shall be provided for each resident and shall be located within, or directly adjacent to each resident bedroom.

(5) A handwashing facility shall be provided within or adjacent to each resident bedroom.

(6) Every resident bedroom shall have an exit access door leading directly to a corridor, which leads to an exit. One adjacent room may intervene, but this shall be limited to a lounge or anteroom.

(i) Each resident bedroom shall be equipped with or shall be conveniently located near adequate toilet and bathing facilities. Centralized toilets and bathing facilities, if provided, shall be on the same floor as the resident bedrooms served. At least one centralized toilet shall be provided for every eight resident beds in rooms without adjacent toilet facilities to serve the occupants of the room.

(j) Each resident bedroom shall have direct access to an outside exposure. Windowsills shall not be higher than three feet above the finished floor, and shall be above grade.