South Carolina nursing home responsiveness requirements

Confirmed or suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation is a reportable 'serious incident' that must be reported to the attending physician, next-of-kin or responsible party, and DPH within twenty-four hours, with a written investigation report to DPH within five days, and separately reported to the S.C. Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program.

A facility shall immediately report every serious accident and incident to the attending physician, next-of-kin or responsible party, and the Department via telephone, email, or facsimile within twenty-four (24) hours of the serious accident or incident.

Mandated reporters — including physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, caregivers and facility staff — who have reason to believe a vulnerable adult has been or is likely to be abused, neglected or exploited must report within twenty-four hours or the next working day, and for nursing homes that report goes to the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program rather than Adult Protective Services or SLED.

A person required to report under this section must report the incident within twenty-four hours or the next working day.

A licensed nursing home must have at least one physician available on call at all times, and each resident must designate a South Carolina-licensed attending physician who sees the resident at least once every sixty days.

At least one (1) physician shall be available on call at all times.

Direct care staff adequate in number and skill must be present at all times, and only individuals currently and continuously licensed in South Carolina may perform duties requiring a registered or licensed practical nurse.

There shall be direct care staff adequate in number and skill in the facility at all times to provide nursing and related care and services to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial health and safety of each resident

Residents must be permitted to use the telephone and be allowed privacy when making calls, and the facility must make at least one portable, easily accessible telephone available on each floor for residents' private, discretionary use.

Residents shall be permitted to use the telephone and shall be allowed privacy when making telephone calls.

Each resident must be allowed, without unreasonable delay or restriction, to associate and communicate privately with persons of the resident's own choice and is assured freedom and privacy in sending and receiving mail.

Each resident without unreasonable delay or restrictions must be allowed to associate and communicate privately with persons of the resident's choice and must be assured freedom and privacy in sending and receiving mail.

Emergency call data must be immediately available and posted conspicuously at every staff work area — at minimum fire, police, ambulance and Poison Control numbers — and names, addresses and telephone numbers of physicians and staff to be notified in an emergency must be kept available.

Although the facility may be in a location that has access to ‘‘911’’ services, emergency call data shall be immediately available, posted in a conspicuous place, at least at every staff work area, and shall include, at a minimum, the telephone numbers of fire and police departments, ambulance service, and the Poison Control Center.

Facilities must develop with their county emergency preparedness agency, update at least annually and rehearse annually a written disaster and emergency evacuation plan containing the name, address and phone number of each sheltering facility plus signed letters of agreement, a transportation plan and a staffing plan.

Name, address and phone number of the sheltering facility or facilities to which the residents will be relocated during a disaster;

A resident call system is required with a call button at each bed, bath and toilet, a corridor-visible light at or over each resident room door, and a master station showing room location with an alarm in a location continuously monitored by staff.

A facility shall have a signal system for residents consisting of a call button for each bed, bath, and toilet. A light shall be at or over each resident room door visible from the corridor.

Every nursing home must maintain a written, implemented quality improvement program providing effective self-assessment and implementation of changes designed to improve care, treatment and services.

There shall be a written, implemented quality improvement program that provides effective self-assessment and implementation of changes designed to improve the care, treatment and services provided by the facility.