The Florida Senate

400.141  Administration and management of nursing home facilities.--Every licensed facility shall comply with all applicable standards and rules of the agency and shall:

(1)  Be under the administrative direction and charge of a licensed administrator.

(2)  Appoint a medical director licensed pursuant to chapter 458 or chapter 459. The agency may establish by rule more specific criteria for the appointment of a medical director.

(3)  Have available the regular, consultative, and emergency services of physicians licensed by the state.

(4)  Provide for resident use of a community pharmacy as specified in s. 400.022(1)(q). Any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, a registered pharmacist licensed in Florida, that is under contract with a facility licensed under this chapter, shall repackage a nursing facility resident's bulk prescription medication which has been packaged by another pharmacist licensed in any state in the United States into a unit dose system compatible with the system used by the nursing facility, if the pharmacist is requested to offer such service. In order to be eligible for the repackaging, a resident or the resident's spouse must receive prescription medication benefits provided through a former employer as part of his or her retirement benefits, a qualified pension plan as specified in s. 4972 of the Internal Revenue Code, a federal retirement program as specified under 5 C.F.R. s. 831, or a long-term care policy as defined in s. 627.9404(1). A pharmacist who correctly repackages and relabels the medication and the nursing facility which correctly administers such repackaged medication under the provisions of this subsection shall not be held liable in any civil or administrative action arising from the repackaging. In order to be eligible for the repackaging, a nursing facility resident for whom the medication is to be repackaged shall sign an informed consent form provided by the facility which includes an explanation of the repackaging process and which notifies the resident of the immunities from liability provided herein. A pharmacist who repackages and relabels prescription medications, as authorized under this subsection, may charge a reasonable fee for costs resulting from the implementation of this provision.

(5)  Provide for the access of the facility residents to dental and other health-related services, recreational services, rehabilitative services, and social work services appropriate to their needs and conditions and not directly furnished by the licensee. When a geriatric outpatient nurse clinic is conducted in accordance with rules adopted by the agency, outpatients attending such clinic shall not be counted as part of the general resident population of the nursing home facility, nor shall the nursing staff of the geriatric outpatient clinic be counted as part of the nursing staff of the facility, until the outpatient clinic load exceeds 15 a day.

(6)  Be allowed and encouraged by the agency to provide other needed services under certain conditions. If the facility has a standard licensure status, and has had no class I or class II deficiencies during the past 2 years or has been awarded a Gold Seal under the program established in s. 400.235, it may be encouraged by the agency to provide services, including, but not limited to, respite and adult day services, which enable individuals to move in and out of the facility. A facility is not subject to any additional licensure requirements for providing these services. Respite care may be offered to persons in need of short-term or temporary nursing home services. Respite care must be provided in accordance with this part and rules adopted by the agency. However, the agency shall, by rule, adopt modified requirements for resident assessment, resident care plans, resident contracts, physician orders, and other provisions, as appropriate, for short-term or temporary nursing home services. The agency shall allow for shared programming and staff in a facility which meets minimum standards and offers services pursuant to this subsection, but, if the facility is cited for deficiencies in patient care, may require additional staff and programs appropriate to the needs of service recipients. A person who receives respite care may not be counted as a resident of the facility for purposes of the facility's licensed capacity unless that person receives 24-hour respite care. A person receiving either respite care for 24 hours or longer or adult day services must be included when calculating minimum staffing for the facility. Any costs and revenues generated by a nursing home facility from nonresidential programs or services shall be excluded from the calculations of Medicaid per diems for nursing home institutional care reimbursement.

(7)  If the facility has a standard licensure status or is a Gold Seal facility, exceeds minimum staffing standards, and is part of a retirement community that offers other services pursuant to part III, part IV, or part V, be allowed to share programming and staff. At the time of relicensure, a retirement community that uses this option must demonstrate through staffing records that minimum staffing requirements for the facility were exceeded.

(8)  Maintain the facility premises and equipment and conduct its operations in a safe and sanitary manner.

(9)  If the licensee furnishes food service, provide a wholesome and nourishing diet sufficient to meet generally accepted standards of proper nutrition for its residents and provide such therapeutic diets as may be prescribed by attending physicians. In making rules to implement this subsection, the agency shall be guided by standards recommended by nationally recognized professional groups and associations with knowledge of dietetics.

(10)  Keep full records of resident admissions and discharges; medical and general health status, including medical records, personal and social history, and identity and address of next of kin or other persons who may have responsibility for the affairs of the residents; and individual resident care plans including, but not limited to, prescribed services, service frequency and duration, and service goals. The records shall be open to inspection by the agency.

(11)  Keep such fiscal records of its operations and conditions as may be necessary to provide information pursuant to this part.

(12)  Furnish copies of personnel records for employees affiliated with such facility, to any other facility licensed by this state requesting this information pursuant to this part. Such information contained in the records may include, but is not limited to, disciplinary matters and any reason for termination. Any facility releasing such records pursuant to this part shall be considered to be acting in good faith and may not be held liable for information contained in such records, absent a showing that the facility maliciously falsified such records.

(13)  Publicly display a poster provided by the agency containing the names, addresses, and telephone numbers for the state's abuse hotline, the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, the Agency for Health Care Administration consumer hotline, the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, the Florida Statewide Advocacy Council, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, with a clear description of the assistance to be expected from each.

(14)  Submit to the agency the information specified in s. 400.071(2)(e) for a management company within 30 days after the effective date of the management agreement.

(15)  Submit semiannually to the agency, or more frequently if requested by the agency, information regarding facility staff-to-resident ratios, staff turnover, and staff stability, including information regarding certified nursing assistants, licensed nurses, the director of nursing, and the facility administrator. For purposes of this reporting:

(a)  Staff-to-resident ratios must be reported in the categories specified in s. 400.23(3)(a) and applicable rules. The ratio must be reported as an average for the most recent calendar quarter.

(b)  Staff turnover must be reported for the most recent 12-month period ending on the last workday of the most recent calendar quarter prior to the date the information is submitted. The turnover rate must be computed quarterly, with the annual rate being the cumulative sum of the quarterly rates. The turnover rate is the total number of terminations or separations experienced during the quarter, excluding any employee terminated during a probationary period of 3 months or less, divided by the total number of staff employed at the end of the period for which the rate is computed, and expressed as a percentage.

(c)  The formula for determining staff stability is the total number of employees that have been employed for more than 12 months, divided by the total number of employees employed at the end of the most recent calendar quarter, and expressed as a percentage.

(d)  A nursing facility that has failed to comply with state minimum-staffing requirements for 2 consecutive days is prohibited from accepting new admissions until the facility has achieved the minimum-staffing requirements for a period of 6 consecutive days. For the purposes of this paragraph, any person who was a resident of the facility and was absent from the facility for the purpose of receiving medical care at a separate location or was on a leave of absence is not considered a new admission. Failure to impose such an admissions moratorium constitutes a class II deficiency.

(16)  Report monthly the number of vacant beds in the facility which are available for resident occupancy on the day the information is reported.

(17)  Notify a licensed physician when a resident exhibits signs of dementia or cognitive impairment or has a change of condition in order to rule out the presence of an underlying physiological condition that may be contributing to such dementia or impairment. The notification must occur within 30 days after the acknowledgment of such signs by facility staff. If an underlying condition is determined to exist, the facility shall arrange, with the appropriate health care provider, the necessary care and services to treat the condition.

(18)  If the facility implements a dining and hospitality attendant program, ensure that the program is developed and implemented under the supervision of the facility director of nursing. A licensed nurse, licensed speech or occupational therapist, or a registered dietitian must conduct training of dining and hospitality attendants. A person employed by a facility as a dining and hospitality attendant must perform tasks under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse.

(19)  Report to the agency any filing for bankruptcy protection by the facility or its parent corporation, divestiture or spin-off of its assets, or corporate reorganization within 30 days after the completion of such activity.

¹(20)  Maintain general and professional liability insurance coverage that is in force at all times. In lieu of general and professional liability insurance coverage, a state-designated teaching nursing home and its affiliated assisted living facilities created under s. 430.80 may demonstrate proof of financial responsibility as provided in s. 430.80(3)(h); the exception provided in this paragraph shall expire July 1, 2005.

(21)  Maintain in the medical record for each resident a daily chart of certified nursing assistant services provided to the resident. The certified nursing assistant who is caring for the resident must complete this record by the end of his or her shift. This record must indicate assistance with activities of daily living, assistance with eating, and assistance with drinking, and must record each offering of nutrition and hydration for those residents whose plan of care or assessment indicates a risk for malnutrition or dehydration.

(22)  Before November 30 of each year, subject to the availability of an adequate supply of the necessary vaccine, provide for immunizations against influenza viruses to all its consenting residents in accordance with the recommendations of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, subject to exemptions for medical contraindications and religious or personal beliefs. Subject to these exemptions, any consenting person who becomes a resident of the facility after November 30 but before March 31 of the following year must be immunized within 5 working days after becoming a resident. Immunization shall not be provided to any resident who provides documentation that he or she has been immunized as required by this subsection. This subsection does not prohibit a resident from receiving the immunization from his or her personal physician if he or she so chooses. A resident who chooses to receive the immunization from his or her personal physician shall provide proof of immunization to the facility. The agency may adopt and enforce any rules necessary to comply with or implement this subsection.

(23)  Assess all residents for eligibility for pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination (PPV) and vaccinate residents when indicated within 60 days after the effective date of this act in accordance with the recommendations of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, subject to exemptions for medical contraindications and religious or personal beliefs. Residents admitted after the effective date of this act shall be assessed within 5 working days of admission and, when indicated, vaccinated within 60 days in accordance with the recommendations of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, subject to exemptions for medical contraindications and religious or personal beliefs. Immunization shall not be provided to any resident who provides documentation that he or she has been immunized as required by this subsection. This subsection does not prohibit a resident from receiving the immunization from his or her personal physician if he or she so chooses. A resident who chooses to receive the immunization from his or her personal physician shall provide proof of immunization to the facility. The agency may adopt and enforce any rules necessary to comply with or implement this subsection.

(24)  Annually encourage and promote to its employees the benefits associated with immunizations against influenza viruses in accordance with the recommendations of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency may adopt and enforce any rules necessary to comply with or implement this subsection.

Facilities that have been awarded a Gold Seal under the program established in s. 400.235 may develop a plan to provide certified nursing assistant training as prescribed by federal regulations and state rules and may apply to the agency for approval of their program.

History.--s. 13, ch. 69-309; ss. 19, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 12, ch. 70-361; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 241, ch. 77-147; s. 3, ch. 77-401; s. 1, ch. 77-457; ss. 9, 18, ch. 80-186; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 18, 79, 83, ch. 83-181; s. 30, ch. 93-177; ss. 17, 49, ch. 93-217; s. 21, ch. 95-418; s. 12, ch. 99-394; s. 18, ch. 2000-263; s. 4, ch. 2000-350; s. 1, ch. 2001-42; ss. 22, 57, ch. 2001-45; s. 35, ch. 2001-62; s. 144, ch. 2001-277; s. 60, ch. 2002-1; s. 29, ch. 2002-223; s. 6, ch. 2002-400.

¹Note.--Section 9, ch. 2002-400, provides that "[i]n order to expedite the availability of general and professional liability insurance for nursing homes, the Agency for Health Care Administration, subject to appropriations included in the General Appropriation Act, shall advance $6 million for the purpose of capitalizing the risk retention group. The terms of repayment may not extend beyond 3 years from the date of funding. For purposes of this project, notwithstanding the provisions of s. 631.271, Florida Statutes, the agency's claim shall be considered a class 3 claim."