Kan. Admin. Regs. § 26-52-11 - Scheduling and direct supervision

(a) Each licensee shall develop and implement a written schedule for professional staff members and shall include requirements for scheduling staff members as follows:

(1) A psychiatrist or advanced practice registered nurse shall be available 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

(2) Nursing staff in numbers sufficient to meet the treatment needs of patients shall be available on-site 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

(3) One or more behavioral health professionals sufficient to meet the evaluation and treatment needs of patients and the requirements of this article shall be available for consultation 24 hours per day, seven days per week and on-site from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

(b) Each licensee shall develop and implement a written daily staff member schedule. The schedule shall meet the required staffing ratios of direct care staff members to patients.

(1) The schedule shall provide for a minimum staffing ratio of one direct care staff member for every four patients.

(2) At least one direct care staff member of the same sex as the patients shall be present, awake, and available to the patients. If both male and female patients are present in the center during the scheduled period, at least one male and one female direct care staff member shall be present, awake, and available.

(3) The daily direct care staffing plan shall take into consideration the acuity needs of patients, including any patient requiring one-to-one (1:1) supervision for patient safety, staff safety, elopement risk, or other clinical reasons.

(c) At no time shall there be fewer than two direct care staff members present in the center when one or more patients are admitted to the center. If the center is located on multiple floors or buildings, a minimum of two direct care staff members must be present in each patient area on each floor of each building where one or more patients have been admitted.

(d) Alternate direct care staff members shall be provided for the relief of the scheduled direct care staff members on a one-to-one basis and in compliance with the staffing ratios of direct care staff members to patients.

(e) Only direct care staff members shall be counted in the required staffing ratio.

(f) Policies and practice regarding direct supervision shall provide for adequate staff and shall include the following requirements:

(1) No patient shall be left without direct supervision.

(2) Electronic supervision shall not replace the staff ratio requirements.

(3) Direct care staff members shall always have knowledge of each patient's location.

(4) Each licensee shall implement policies and procedures for determining when the movements and activities of a patient could, for treatment purposes, be restricted or subject to control through increased direct supervision.

Notes

Kan. Admin. Regs. § 26-52-11

Authorized by and implementing K.S.A. 39-2004; effective, T-26-2-16-24, Feb. 16, 2024; effective, T-26-6-10-24, June 10, 2024; adopted by Kansas Register Volume 43, No. 24; effective 6/28/2024.