N.J. Admin. Code § 8:42C-11.4

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 8:42C-11.4 - Patient care area requirements for inpatient hospice care units

(a) The patient care area requirements at (b) through (aa) below apply to inpatient hospice care units.

(b) The maximum unit size is 30 beds.

(c) All beds in a unit are in a contiguous area on the same floor.

(d) The maximum room capacity is two patients.

(e) At least 50 percent of the unit rooms are single occupancy.

(f) The clear, usable floor area of a single bedroom is 100 square feet or greater, exclusive of the bathroom, vestibule, and closet or wardrobe unit.

(g) The clear, usable floor area of a shared (semi-private) bedroom is 80 square feet per bed or greater, exclusive of the bathroom, the vestibule, and the closet or wardrobe unit.

(h) Each bedroom shall have a four-foot clearance at each side and at the foot of each bed to permit the passage of equipment, patients, and staff.

(i) The space allocated for dining, recreation, and other common uses is 35 square feet or greater per licensed bed, not including physical therapy and occupational therapy space.

(j) Each patient shall have a closet or wardrobe unit of six square feet or greater for the storage of personal clothing.

(k) Each patient shall have the use of a bathroom, access to which does not require the patient to enter a corridor.

1. The bathroom door shall either:

i. Swing outward; or

ii. Be an inward-swinging door that complies with the clearance requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 et seq.

(l) Each bathroom shall contain:

1. If the unit is newly constructed or is a result of a rehabilitation project in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:23-6, the Rehabilitation Subcode of the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, a toilet and a sink;

2. If the unit is located in an existing licensed healthcare facility providing residential care, a toilet and either:

i. A sink; or

ii. Alcohol-based hand rinse compliant with the Hand-Hygiene Guideline, in which case the bedroom shall contain a sink.

(m) Each bedroom shall contain:

1. A sink, if the unit is newly constructed or is a result of a rehabilitation project in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:23-6, the Rehabilitation Subcode of the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code;

2. Alcohol-based hand rinse compliant with the Hand-Hygiene Guideline, if the unit is located in an existing licensed healthcare facility in which the bathroom contains a sink and the bedroom does not contain a sink; or

3. A sink, if the unit is located in an existing licensed healthcare facility in which the bathroom does not contain a sink.

(n) There is a wheelchair and stretcher-accessible central bathing area for staff to bathe patients who are unable to bathe independently.

(o) All toilet and bath facilities used by patients shall have grab bars that are compliant with the International Code Council, Inc., Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities (ICC A117.1-2017) (2017), published by the International Code Council, 200 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 250, Washington, DC 20001, telephone: (888) 422-7233, website: http://www.iccsafe.org, which is incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented.

(p) Handgrips shall be provided on both sides of all corridors used by patients.

(q) A nurse call system shall be provided.

1. Each bed shall have a call device; and

2. A call device shall be provided at each patient toilet, bath, and shower room.

(r) The inpatient hospice care provider shall provide a homelike atmosphere in the unit.

(s) Each unit shall have the following:

1. A medication preparation area, which is located either adjacent to, or within the visual control of, the nursing station, that has:

i. A work counter;

ii. A sink;

iii. A medication refrigerator;

iv. Eye-level medication storage;

v. Cabinet storage; and

vi. A double-lock method of narcotics storage;

2. A clean utility room that shall have:

i. A work counter;

ii. A hand-washing station that has handles or paddles that are at least four inches long; and

iii. Wall or under-counter space for storage of clean and sterile supplies;

3. A soiled utility room that shall have:

i. A counter;

ii. A hand-washing station that has handles or paddles that are at least four inches long;

iii. Wall or under-counter space for storage; and

iv. A flush-rim clinical sink or water closet that has a device that is suitable for washing and sanitizing bedpans and other utensils;

4. A staff bathroom and locker space for personal belongings;

5. A nourishment station in an area that is physically separate from the nurses' station that has:

i. A work counter;

ii. A storage cabinet;

iii. Refrigerated storage; and

iv. A small stove, hotplate, or microwave;

6. A nurses' station that has:

i. Desk space adequate for writing;

ii. Storage space for office supplies; and

iii. Storage space for patient records;

7. A soiled linen storage area;

8. A clean linen storage area; and

9. A minimum of one housekeeping closet per floor of a unit.

(t) Persons with administrative responsibilities for the unit shall have office space in the same building as the unit.

(u) Staff lounge facilities of not less than 100 square feet in the same building as the unit.

(v) Dedicated private space of not less than 100 square feet shall be provided for patient and family visitation.

(w) A homelike kitchen and homelike dining facilities shall be provided to accommodate patients and their visitors.

(x) All patient rooms shall have flameproof privacy screens or curtains for each patient.

(y) Accommodations shall be provided for family members to remain with a patient throughout the night in the patient's room.

(z) Accommodations shall be provided for family privacy after a patient's death.

(aa) Inpatient hospice care facilities shall meet the requirements of the Facility Guidelines Institute, Guidelines for Design and Construction of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities (2022), incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented, published by the Facility Guidelines Institute, website: www.fgiguidelines.org, and can be contacted through a contact page at: https://fgiguidelines.org/contact-us/.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:42C-11.4

Notice of readoption with technical change, effective 3/18/2024.
See: 56 N.J.R. 410(b).