Okla. Admin. Code § 310:661-1-2

Current through Vol. 42, No. 4, November 1, 2024
Section 310:661-1-2 - Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this Chapter, shall have the following meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

"Act" means the Oklahoma Hospice Licensing Act, 63 O.S. 1991, §§ 1-860.1 et seq.

"Alternate Administrative Office" means an approved location from which the hospice provides the same full range of hospice care and services that is required of the hospice issued, stores supplies, and/or is used for documentation and meets the requirements of 310:661-2-1(f)(2). Each location shall meet all of the applicable requirements of Chapter 661. Hospice.

"Attending physician" means a doctor of medicine or osteopathy, identified by the patient or representative at the time the patient or representative elects to receive hospice care, as having the most significant role in the determination and delivery of the patient's medical care.

"Bereavement counseling" means emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual support and services provided before and after the death of the patient to assist with issues related to grief, loss, and adjustment.

"Clinical note" means a notation of a contact with the patient and/or the family that is written and dated by any person providing services and that describes signs and symptoms, treatments and medications administered, including the patient's reaction and/or response, and any changes in physical, emotional, psychosocial or spiritual condition during a given period of time.

"Comprehensive assessment" means an evaluation of the patient's physical, psychosocial, emotional and spiritual status related to the terminal illness and related conditions. This includes an evaluation of the caregiver's and family's willingness and capability to care for the patient.

"Continuous care" means nursing care that is provided by a skilled nurse or a qualified hospice aide for as much as 24-hours a day during periods of medical crisis as necessary to maintain a hospice patient at their place of residence.

"Department" means the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

"Dietary counseling" means education and interventions provided to the patient and family regarding nutritional intake as the patient's condition changes. Dietary counseling is provided by qualified individuals, which may include a registered nurse or dietitian, when identified in the patient's plan of care.

"Employed" means contracting with a person for services, regardless of compensation. This term also includes volunteers.

"Employee" means a person who:

(1) Works for the hospice and for whom the hospice is required to issue a W-2 form on his or her behalf;
(2) if the hospice is a subdivision of an agency or organization, an employee of the agency or organization who is assigned to the hospice; or
(3) is a volunteer under the jurisdiction of the hospice.

"Fast-track" The process where advance approval may be secured for construction starts while design details are completed.

"First-year license" means a license issued for the initial twelve (12) month license period.

"Follow-up inspection" means the inspection by representatives of the Department that shall occur after a hospice has provided hospice services for at least six (6) months.

"Governing body" means a person, persons, or legal entity that is legally responsible for the conduct of the facility as an institution and carries out the functions, ownership, and governance in accordance with these regulations and the laws of this state.

"Initial assessment" means an evaluation of the patient's physical, psychosocial and emotional status related to the terminal illness and related conditions to determine the patient's immediate care and support needs.

"License" means a first-year or permanent hospice license issued pursuant to the Act and these rules.

"Licensed independent practitioner" means any individual permitted by law and by the licensed hospice to provide care and services, without direct supervision, within the scope of the individual's license and consistent with clinical privileges individually granted by the licensed hospice. Licensed independent practitioners may include advanced practice nurses with prescriptive authority, physician assistants, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, chiropractors, and psychologists.

"Medical Crisis" means an event or situation in which a registered nurse, through direct assessment of the hospice patient, determines that the patient has entered into a period of crisis which requires a physician's intervention and continuous nursing care to achieve palliation or management of acute medical symptoms. Peaceful symptom controlled death is an expected patient outcome and is not considered a medical crisis. A medical crisis would include, but not be limited to the following: uncontrolled terminal agitation as demonstrated by hallucinations, confusion, and combativeness; uncontrolled pain; uncontrolled respiratory distress; uncontrolled nausea and vomiting; hemorrhaging; uncontrolled seizures; family distress as a result of ongoing symptom management for the patient requiring administration of medications to maintain the patient's comfort; and, any uncontrolled symptom that requires the administration of medications with ongoing assessment of the effectiveness and adjustment of the medication regimen to achieve control of symptoms.

"Palliative care" means patient and family-centered care that optimizes quality of life by anticipating, preventing, and treating suffering. Palliative care throughout the continuum of illness involves addressing physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual needs and to facilitate patient autonomy, access to information, and choice.

"Permanent license" means a license first issued to a hospice program after the first-year license period has been completed and the required follow-up inspection has been conducted.

"Physician designee" means a doctor of medicine or osteopathy designated by the hospice who assumes the same responsibilities and obligations as the medical advisor when the medical advisor is not available.

"Registered nurse" means a person who is currently licensed to practice registered nursing in the State of Oklahoma.

"Representative" or "Court appointed guardian" means a person who is authorized in accordance with State law to execute or revoke an election for hospice care or terminate medical care on behalf of the terminally ill individual.

"Skilled nurse" means a person who is currently licensed to practice registered nursing or practical nursing in the State of Oklahoma.

"Social worker" means a person who has a degree from a school accredited or approved by the Council on Social Work Education and conforms to the requirements of the State Licensure Laws of Oklahoma for Social Workers.

Okla. Admin. Code § 310:661-1-2

Added at 9 Ok Reg 1985, eff 6-11-92; Amended at 14 Ok Reg 2106, eff 4-7-97 (emergency); Amended at 14 Ok Reg 2269, eff 6-12-97; Amended at 19 Ok Reg 2094, eff 6-27-02; Amended at 21 Ok Reg 1303, eff 5-27-04; Amended at 23 Ok Reg 2412, eff 6-25-06; Amended at 26 Ok Reg 2042, eff 6-25-09
Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 40, Issue 23, August 15, 2023, eff. 9/11/2023