Rule 1243.
(1) Each
patient room in a nursing unit shall meet all of the following standards:
(a) Maximum room capacity shall be 4
patients.
(b) Patient room areas,
exclusive of toilet rooms, closets, lockers, wardrobes, alcoves, or vestibules,
shall be not less than 9.29 square meters (100 square feet) for single-bed
rooms and 7.43 square meters (80 square feet) per bed for multiple-bed rooms.
Minor encroachments, including columns and lavatories, that do not interfere
with functions may be ignored when determining space requirements for patient
rooms. In multiple-bed rooms, a clearance of 1.12 meters (3 feet 8 inches)
shall be available at the foot of each bed to permit the passage of equipment
and beds. The areas noted in this subdivision are intended as recognized
minimums and do not prohibit the use of larger rooms where required for needs
and functions.
(c) Patient rooms
intended for 24-hour occupancy or more shall have operable windows. Special
tools for window operation may be used if these are available at all times for
staff use.
(d) Hand-washing
facilities shall be provided in each patient room. The lavatory may be omitted
from a bedroom if a water closet and lavatory are provided in a toilet room
designed to serve 1 single-bed room or 1 2-bed room.
(e) Each patient shall have access to a
toilet room without entering the general corridor area. One toilet room shall
serve not more than 4 beds and not more than 2 patient rooms. The toilet room
shall contain a water closet and a lavatory. The lavatory may be omitted from a
toilet room if each patient room served by that toilet contains a lavatory for
hand-washing.
(f) Each patient
shall have within his or her room a separate wardrobe, locker, or closet
suitable for hanging full-length garments and for storing personal
effects.
(g) In multiple-bed rooms,
visual privacy shall be provided for each patient. The design for privacy shall
not restrict patient access to the entrance, lavatory, or toilet.
(h) Ceilings shall be monolithic from wall to
wall without fissures.
(2) Provisions for the services noted in this
subrule shall be located in, or be readily available to, each nursing unit. The
size and location of each service area will depend upon the numbers and types
of beds served. Identifiable spaces are required for each of the indicated
functions. Each service area may be arranged and located to serve more than 1
nursing unit, but, unless noted otherwise, at least 1 such service area shall
be provided on each nursing floor. Where the word "room" or "office" is used, a
separate, enclosed space for the 1 named function is intended; otherwise, the
described area may be a specific space in another room or common area. Service
areas shall include all of the following:
(a)
Administrative center or nurses' station.
(b) Nurses' office for floor staff.
(c) Administrative supplies
storage.
(d) Lavatories for
hand-washing, conveniently accessible to the nurses' station, drug distribution
station, and nourishment center. One lavatory may serve several areas if
convenient to each area.
(e)
Charting facilities.
(f) Toilet
rooms for staff.
(g) Staff lounge
facilities. These facilities may be centrally located on another
floor.
(h) Securable closets or
cabinet compartments for the personal effects of nursing personnel,
conveniently located to the duty station. At a minimum, the closets or cabinets
shall be large enough for purses and billfolds. Coats may be stored in closets
or cabinets on each floor in a central staff locker area.
(i) Multipurpose rooms for staff and patient
conferences, education, demonstrations, and consultation. These rooms shall be
conveniently accessible to each nursing unit. The rooms may be on other floors
if convenient for regular use. One such room may serve several nursing units or
departments, or both.
(j)
Examination and treatment rooms. These rooms may be omitted if all beds in the
facility are single-bed patient rooms. The examination and treatment rooms may
serve several nursing units and may be on a different floor if conveniently
located for routine use. Examination rooms shall have a minimum floor area of
11.2 square meters (120 square feet), excluding space for vestibules, toilets,
and closets. The room shall contain a lavatory or sink equipped for
hand-washing, storage facilities, and a desk, counter, or shelf space for
writing.
(k) Clean workroom or
clean holding room. If the room is used for preparing patient care items, it
shall contain a counter and hand-washing and storage facilities. If the room is
used only for storage and holding as part of a system for the distribution of
clean and sterile supply materials, the work counter and hand-washing
facilities may be omitted.
(l)
Soiled material workroom. This room shall contain all of the following:
(i) A clinical sink or equivalent flushing
rim fixture.
(ii) A sink equipped
for hand-washing.
(iii) A work
counter.
(iv) Waste
receptacles.
(v) A linen
receptacle.
Rooms used only for the temporary holding of soiled
material need not contain hand-washing sinks or work counters. However, if a
flushing rim sink is omitted, other provisions for the disposal of liquid waste
at each unit shall be made if the program requirements so dictate.
(m) Drug distribution
station. Provision shall be made for the 24-hour distribution of medications.
This may be from a medicine preparation room or unit, from a self-contained
medicine dispensing unit, or by another approved system. If used, a medicine
preparation room or unit shall be under the visual control of nursing staff. A
medical preparation room shall contain a work counter, sink, refrigerator, and
locked storage for controlled drugs and shall have a minimum area of 4.65
square meters (50 square feet). A self-contained medicine dispensing unit may
be located at the nurses' station, in the clean workroom, or in an alcove. As
standard cup-sinks provided in many self-contained units are not adequate for
hand-washing, provision shall be made for convenient access to hand-washing
facilities.
(n) Clean linen
storage. Each nursing unit shall contain a designated area for clean linen
storage. This may be within the clean workroom, a separate closet, or an
approved distribution system on each floor. If a closed cart system is used,
storage may be in an alcove. Carts shall be out of the path of normal
traffic.
(o) Nourishment station.
This station shall contain all of the following:
(i) A sink.
(ii) A work counter.
(iii) A refrigerator.
(iv) Storage cabinets.
(v) Equipment for serving nourishment between
scheduled meals.
Provisions and space shall be included for the separate
temporary storage of unused and soiled dietary trays which are not picked up at
mealtime. In place of a nourishment station, kitchen service may be provided
within the unit. If kitchen service is used, this shall include a sink equipped
for hand-washing, storage space, a refrigerator, and facilities for meal
preparation.
(p)
Ice machine. Each nursing unit shall have equipment to provide ice for
treatments and nourishment. Ice-making equipment may be in the clean workroom
or at the nourishment station under staff control. Ice intended for human
consumption shall be from self-dispensing ice makers.
(q) Equipment storage room. Storage space for
stretchers and wheelchairs may be outside the psychiatric unit if provisions
are made for convenient access as needed for handicapped patients.
(r) Bathing facilities. A bathtub or shower
shall be provided for each 6 beds not otherwise served by bathing facilities
within the patient rooms.
(s)
Emergency equipment storage. Space shall be provided for emergency equipment,
such as a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) cart, which is under direct
control of the nursing staff, in close proximity to the nurses' station, but
out of normal traffic.
(t) Direct
access to a janitor's closet for each nursing unit and not less than 1
janitor's closet for each floor. Each janitor's closet shall contain a service
sink or receptor and provisions for the storage of supplies. This provision is
in addition to separate janitor's closets that may otherwise be required for
the exclusive use of specific services.
(u) An electrical receptacle shall be a
safety-type receptacle or be protected by 5 milliampere ground fault
interrupters (GFI).