Oklahoma nursing home regulations put special focus on respect for residents.
The federal government already has many nursing home regulations. Each state may add to any federal regulations that it sees fit, but it may not detract from them. Oklahoma in one such state that passed the Nursing Home Care Act in 2001, describing more nursing home regulations. The Oklahoma nursing home regulations are laws specifically built off the federal regulations to fit Oklahoma. This act does not apply to any facilities that are non-profit and not receiving any help from the state or federal government.
Federal Regulations
Though each state's government is entitled to make its own regulations regarding nursing homes, the federal government has some basic guidelines that every state must abide by. The following 13 guidelines are federal laws. Each nursing home must:
1. Have a large enough nursing staff to serve the residents well
2. Conduct assessments of residents' functional abilities
3. Develop a specific care plan for each resident
4. Help residents maintain good grooming and nutrition if they become unable to do so themselves
5. Make sure residents are treated properly and given devices to help with deteriorating hearing and vision
6. Make sure residents have enough supervision that most accidents can be prevented
7. Serve nutritional food
8. Give each resident must enough water to stay hydrated and healthy
9. Promote each resident's quality of life
10. Be respectful to residents
11. Give residents the right to choose their own schedules and health care
12. Provide medicine for residents who need it
13. Keep clinical records up to date.
Oklahoma Law: Licensing
No one may operate a nursing home without a license awarded by the state of Oklahoma. The punishment for operating or managing a nursing home without a license is a misdemeanor charge. A license to operate a nursing home, however, does not give anyone the right to practice medicine. To obtain a nursing home license, a person must: be 21 years of age or older; be in good physical and mental health; have a written agreement between owner and manager; give the name and address of the operator; provide the amount of residents that will be cared for and projection of staff needed; and pay an application fee.
Oklahoma Law: Inspections
The construction of the building must be approved by the State Fire Marshal and sprinklers must be in place in case of fire. Nursing homes will be periodically inspected by a person from the State Department of Health. If any part of the facility or records is not in compliance with safety regulations, the operator can be fined 50 dollars per day until the problem is fixed.
Oklahoma Law: Residents' Rights
Nursing homes must give a list of residents' rights to any resident who asks. Residents' rights must, in the very least, include: the right to the knowledge of any option she has and the right to make her own choices; the right to private communication with her family and doctor; the right to complain about any person or aspect of the nursing home without fear of being reprimanded; the right to choose how she wishes to spend her own money; the right to medical care and the right to refuse medical care or medicine; the right to respect and privacy in regards to her medical records; the right to her own clothing and personal possessions; the right to respectful and polite care; the right to not be physically or mentally abused; the right to not be chemically controlled if the chemical is not for a medical problem; the right to not be forced to work for the facility; the right to private spousal visits; and the right to participate in religious, social, or community practices. The punishment for any worker who violates any rights of residents is a misdemeanor charge, a fine between $100 and $300, or up to 30 days jail time.
Other requirements exist concerning patients' rights. For example, if a resident is in pain, he must be treated as soon as possible and to the best ability of the doctors. If a nursing home resident dies, the home must notify a member of the clergy of his specific religion if he is religious.
Tags: nursing home, home regulations, nursing home regulations, each resident, federal government
