N.J. Admin. Code § 8:43G-5.16

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

Section 8:43G-5.16 - Disaster planning

(a) The hospital shall have a written, comprehensive disaster plan. The disaster plan, and any updates or changes to it, shall be submitted to the Inspection Service Program within the Department and shall include the following:

1. Identification of potential hazards that could necessitate an evacuation, including internal and external disasters such as a natural disaster, labor work stoppage, or industrial or nuclear accidents;

2. Emergency procedures for evacuation of the hospital;

3. Comprehensive measures for receiving and managing care for a large influx of emergency patients. These measures shall include the roles of, at least, the emergency department, surgical suite, and patient care units;

4. Comprehensive plans for receiving patients who are being relocated from another facility due to a disaster. This plan shall include at least an estimate of the number and type of patients the facility would accommodate;

5. Procedures in the case of interruption of utilities services in a way that affects the health and safety of patients;

6. Identification of the facility and an alternate facility to which evacuated patients would be relocated;

7. The estimated number of patients and staff who would require relocation in the event of an evacuation;

8. The system or procedure to ensure that medical charts accompany patients in the event of patient evacuation, and that supplies, equipment, records, and medications would be transported as part of an evacuation; and

9. The roles and responsibilities of staff members in implementing the disaster plan.

(b) The hospital shall assure that patients receive nursing care throughout the period of evacuation and while being returned to the original hospital.

(c) The hospital shall ensure that evacuated patients who are not discharged are returned to the hospital after the emergency is over, unless the patient prefers to remain at the receiving facility or be discharged instead of being returned to the original hospital.

(d) Any staff member who is designated as the acting administrator shall be knowledgeable about, and authorized to implement, the hospital's plans in the event of an emergency.

(e) The hospital administrator shall appoint a disaster planner for the hospital. The disaster planner shall meet with county and municipal emergency management officials at least annually to review and update the written, comprehensive disaster plan. If county or municipal officials are unavailable for this purpose, the hospital shall notify the New Jersey State Office of Emergency Management, Division of State Police, Department of Law and Public Safety, P.O. Box 7068, West Trenton, NJ 08628. Phone: (609) 882-2000. Website: http://ready.nj.gov.

(f) While developing the hospital's plan for evacuating patients, the disaster planner shall communicate with the facility or facilities designated to receive relocated patients.

(g) Copies of the current plans for receiving and evacuating patients in the event of a disaster shall be sent to municipal and county emergency management officials and to the designated receiving facilities.

(h) The hospital shall conduct at least one evacuation drill each year, either simulated or using selected patients. An actual evacuation shall be considered a drill, if it is documented.

(i) The hospital shall conduct at least one drill each year in which a large influx of emergency patients is simulated. An actual emergency of this type shall be considered a drill, if it is documented.

(j) The hospital shall maintain at least a three-day supply of food and have access to an alternative supply of water in case of an emergency.

(k) The hospital shall take corrective action if the temperature of the hospital is not in compliance for a continuous period of four hours or longer with Guidelines for Design and Construction of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities, 2014 edition. Facility Guidelines Institute; American Society for Healthcare Engineering, which is incorporated herein by reference, as amended and supplemented, and which is available from the Facility Guidelines Institute, Inc., 350 N. Saint Paul St., Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75201. Website: www.fgiguidelines.org. E-mail: info@fgiguidelines.org. The hospital shall notify the Department if the corrective action is not effective.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:43G-5.16

Amended by 50 N.J.R. 552(b), effective 1/16/2018

Amended by 53 N.J.R. 703(a), effective 5/3/2021