Haw. Code R. § 11-94.2-53 - Infection control

(a) There shall be appropriate policies and procedures written and implemented for the prevention and control of infectious diseases that shall be in compliance with all applicable laws of the State, rules of the department relating to infectious diseases and infectious waste, and national standards such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare &Medicaid Services.

(b) The facility shall have provisions for isolating residents with infectious diseases until appropriate transfers can be made.

(1) The facility shall have a written policy that outlines proper isolation and infection control techniques and practices;

(2) At least one single bedroom shall be designated as an isolation room as needed and shall have:

(A) An adjoining toilet room with nurses' call system, a lavatory, and a toilet;

(B) Appropriate hand-washing facilities available to all staff; and

(C) Appropriate methods for cleaning and disposing of contaminated materials and equipment;

(3) The facility shall ensure that visual observations of the resident can be made in each isolation room:

(A) By means of the view window in each isolation room; or

(B) By an approved mechanical system e.g., closed circuit television monitoring;

(4) The facility shall have documented evidence that every employee has both an initial employment evaluation and an annual health evaluation. These evaluations shall be specifically oriented to determine the presence of any infectious disease liable to harm a resident;

(5) Skin lesions, respiratory tract symptoms, and diarrhea shall be considered presumptive evidence of infectious disease. Any employee who develops evidence of an infection must be immediately excluded from any duties relating to food handling or direct resident contact until such time as a physician certifies it is safe for the employee to resume such duties;

(6) There shall be a documented record that every employee and resident have an initial and an annual tuberculosis (TB) clearance. Facilities shall comply with the most current and updated guidelines as set forth in chapter 11-164, Exhibit A; and

(7) When a known negative tuberculin skin test on an employee or resident converts to a positive test, it shall be considered a new case of tuberculosis infection and shall be reported to the department.

Notes

Haw. Code R. § 11-94.2-53

[Eff 9/16/2022] (Auth: HRS §§ 321-9, 321-11) (Imp: HRS §§ 321-9, 321-11)