All patients' rooms shall be outside rooms and have direct access to a hall. The window area shall not be less than one-eighth of the total floor area. No bedrooms shall be located below grade. Minimum room areas shall be 80 square feet per bed in rooms having two or more beds and 100 square feet in single rooms. No bedroom shall have more than four beds. Each bedroom or its adjoining toilet or bathroom shall have a lavatory equipped with gooseneck spout and wrist-action controls. A locker shall be provided for each patient.
The following areas shall be provided in each nursing unit: nurses' station, utility room divided into dirty and clean areas, bedpan facilities, toilet facilities for each sex in a ratio of one toilet for each eight patients or fraction thereof, bathtubs or showers in a ratio of one tub or shower for each 30 patients or fraction thereof, linen and supply storage, and janitors' closet. Each nursing floor shall have a floor pantry and nurses' toilet room. Separate subutility, toilet, and bathing facilities shall be provided for the maternity section.
It is recommended that a stretcher alcove, treatment room, and solarium be provided.
A psychiatric or quiet room is recommended in general hospitals not providing a psychiatric unit.
Adjustments will be made where patients' rooms are provided with individual toilets.
Each nurses' station shall be conveniently located for patient service and observation of signals. It shall have a locked, well-illuminated medicine cabinet. Where narcotics are kept on the nursing station, a separate, locked, permanently secured cabinet for narcotics shall be provided. Adequate lighting, hand-washing facilities, space for keeping patients' charts, and for personnel to record and chart shall be provided. Refrigeration storage shall be provided for medications and biologics unless provided elsewhere.
One isolation suite shall be provided in each hospital unless a contagious disease nursing unit is available in the hospital. The isolation suite shall consist of one or more patients' rooms, each having an adjacent toilet equipped with bedpan lugs and spray attachment. Each suite shall have a subutility room equipped with utensil sterilizer, sink, and storage cabinets.
Minn. R. agency 144, ch. 4645, FACILITIES IN GENERAL HOSPITALS, pt. 4645.0800
Statutory Authority: MS s 144.55; 144.56