10A NCAC 13K .1204 ADDITIONAL PATIENT CARE AREA REQUIREMENTS FOR HOSPICE INPATIENT UNITS

(a) A facility shall meet the following requirements for patient bedrooms:

(1) private bedrooms shall be provided with not less than 100 square feet of floor area;

(2) semi-private bedrooms with not less than 80 square feet of floor area per bed; and

(3) floor space for closets, toilet rooms, vestibules, or wardrobes shall not be included in the floor areas required by this Paragraph.

(b) A facility shall meet the following requirements for dining, recreation, and common use areas:

(1) floor space for dining, recreation, and common use shall not be less than 30 square feet per bed;

(2) the dining, recreation, and common use areas required by this Paragraph may be combined; and

(3) floor space for physical and occupational therapy shall not be included in the areas required by this Paragraph.

(1) a toilet room shall contain a toilet fixture and a sink trimmed with valves that can be operated without hands. If the sink is equipped with blade handles, the blade handles shall not be less than four inches in length. If the sink faucet depends on the building electrical service for operation, the faucet shall be connected to the essential electrical system. For the purposes of the rules of this Section, the "essential electrical system" means a system comprised of alternate sources of power and all connected distribution systems and ancillary equipment, designed to ensure continuity of electrical power to designated areas and functions of a facility during disruption of normal power sources, and also to minimize disruption within the internal wiring system as defined by the North Carolina State Building Codes: Electrical Code. If the faucet has battery operated sensors, the facility shall have a maintenance policy to keep extra rechargeable or non-rechargeable batteries on premises for the faucets;

(2) if a sink is provided in each bedroom, the toilet room is not required to have a sink;

(3) a toilet room shall be accessible from each bedroom without going through the general corridors;

(4) one toilet room may serve two bedrooms, but not more than four beds; and

(5) a minimum of one central bathing area. In multi-level facilities, each patient floor shall contain a minimum of one central bathing area. Central bathing area(s) shall be provided with the following:

(A) wheelchair and stretcher accessible for staff to bathe a patient who cannot perform this activity independently;

(B) a bathtub, a manufactured walk-in bathtub, a similar manufactured bathtub designed for easy transfer of patients and residents into the tub, or a shower designed and equipped for unobstructed ease of stretcher entry and bathing on three sides. Bathtubs shall be accessible on three sides. Manufactured walk-in bathtubs or a similar manufactured bathtub shall be accessible on two sides;

(C) a roll-in shower designed and equipped for unobstructed ease of shower chair entry and use. If a bathroom with a roll-in shower designed and equipped for unobstructed ease of shower chair entry adjoins each bedroom in the facility, the central bathing area is not required to have a roll-in shower;

(D) toilet fixture and lavatory; and

(E) an individual cubicle curtain enclosing each toilet, tub, and shower. A closed cubicle curtain at one of these plumbing fixtures shall not restrict access to the other plumbing fixtures.

(d) For each nursing unit on each floor, the following shall be provided:

(1) a medication preparation area with:

(A) a counter;

(B) a double locked narcotic storage area under the visual control of nursing staff;

(D) medication storage visible by staff standing on the floor;

(E) cabinet storage; and

(F) a sink trimmed with valves that can be operated without hands. If the sink is equipped with blade handles, the blade handles shall not be less than four inches in length. If the sink faucet depends on the building electrical service for operation, the faucet shall be connected to the essential electrical system. If the faucet has battery operated sensors, the facility shall have a maintenance policy to keep extra rechargeable or non-rechargeable batteries on premises for the faucets;

(2) a clean utility room with:

(A) a counter;

(B) storage; and

(C) a sink trimmed with valves that can be operated without hands. If the sink is equipped with blade handles, the blade handles shall not be less than four inches in length. If the sink faucet depends on the building electrical service for operation, the faucet shall be connected to the essential electrical system. If the sink has battery operated sensors, the facility shall have a maintenance policy to keep extra rechargeable or non-rechargeable batteries on premises for the faucets;

(3) a soiled utility room with:

(A) a counter;

(B) storage; and

(C) a sink trimmed with valves that can be operated without hands. If the sink is equipped with blade handles, the blade handles shall not be less than four inches in length. If the sink faucet depends on the building electrical service for operation, the faucet shall be connected to the essential electrical system. If the faucet has battery operated sensors, the facility shall have a maintenance policy to keep extra rechargeable or non-rechargeable batteries on premises for the faucets. The soiled utility room shall be equipped for the cleaning and sanitizing of bedpans as required by 15A NCAC 18A .1312, which is incorporated by reference including subsequent amendments;

(4) a nurses' toilet and locker space for personal belongings;

(5) an audiovisual nurse‑patient call system arranged to ensure that a patient's call in the facility notifies and directs staff to the location where the call was activated;

(6) a soiled linen storage room with a hand sanitizing dispenser. If the soiled linen storage room is combined with the soiled utility room, a separate soiled linen storage room is not required;

(7) a clean linen storage room provided in one or more of the following:

(A) a separate linen storage room;

(B) cabinets in the clean utility room; or

(8) a janitor's closet.

(e) Dietary services and laundry each shall have a separate janitor's closet.

(f) Stretcher and wheelchair storage shall be provided.

(g) The facility shall provide storage at the rate of not less than five square feet of floor area per licensed bed. This storage space shall:

(1) be used by patients to store personal belongings and suitcases;

(2) be either in the facility or within 500 feet of the facility on the same site; and

(3) be in addition to the other storage space required by this Rule.

(h) Office space shall be provided for business transactions. Office space shall be provided for persons holding the following positions if these positions are provided:

(1) administrator;

(2) director of nursing;

(3) social services director;

(4) activities director; and

(5) physical therapist.

History Note: Authority G.S. 131E‑202;

Eff. June 1, 1991;

Amended Eff. February 1, 1996;

Readopted Eff. October 1, 2021.