In accordance with federal requirements at 42 CFR § 483.15, the medicaid certified nursing facility shall care for its residents in a manner and in an environment that promotes maintenance or enhancement or each resident's quality of life.
(1) Dignity.
(a) The medicaid certified nursing facility shall promote care for residents in a manner and in an environment that promotes maintenance or enhancement of each resident's quality of life.
(b) The medicaid certified nursing facility shall provide treatment and care of each resident's personal care needs in a private area free from exposure to persons not involved in providing that care.
(2) Self-determination and participation. The resident has the right to:
(a) Choose activities, schedules, and health care consistent with his or her interests, assessments, and plans of care;
(b) Interact with members of the community both inside and outside the state veterans home; and
(c) Make choices about aspects of his or her life in the state veterans home that are significant to the resident.
(3) Participation in resident and family groups.
(a) A resident has the right to organize and participate in resident groups in the state veterans home;
(b) A resident's family has the right to meet in the state veterans home with the families of other residents in the state veterans home;
(c) The medicaid certified nursing facility shall provide a resident or family group, if one exists, with private space;
(d) Staff or visitors may attend meetings at the group's invitation;
(e) The medicaid certified nursing facility shall provide a designated staff person responsible for providing assistance and responding to written requests that result from group meetings; and
(f) When a resident or family group exists, the medicaid certified nursing facility shall listen to the views and act upon the grievance and recommendations of residents and families concerning proposed policy and operational decisions affecting resident care and life in the medicaid certified nursing facility.
(4) Participation in other activities. A resident has the right to participate in social, religious, and community activities that do not interfere with the rights of other residents in the state veterans home.
(5) Accommodation of needs. A resident has the right to reside and receive services in the medicaid certified nursing facility with reasonable accommodation of individual needs and preferences, except when the health or safety of the individual or other residents would be endangered.
(6) Activities. The medicaid certified nursing facility shall:
(a) Provide for an ongoing program of activities designed to meet, in accordance with the comprehensive assessment, the interests and the physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident.
(b) Provide activities meaningful to the residents seven days a week at various times throughout the day and evening based on individual resident's need and preference;
(c) The activities program must be directed by a qualified professional who:
(i) Is a qualified therapeutic recreation specialist or an activities professional who:
(A) Is licensed or registered, if applicable, by the state; and
(B) Is eligible for certification as a therapeutic recreation specialist or as an activities professional by a recognized accrediting body on or after October 1, 1990; or
(ii) Has two years of experience in a social or recreational program within the last five years, one or which was full-time in a patient activities program in a health care setting; or
(iii) Has completed a training course approved by the state.
(7) Social services.
(a) The state veterans home shall provide medically related social services to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident.
(b) A medicaid certified nursing facility with more than one hundred twenty beds shall employ a qualified social worker on a full-time basis.
(c) A qualified social worker is an individual with:
(i) A bachelor's degree in social work or a bachelor's degree in a human services field including but not limited to sociology, special education, rehabilitation counseling, and psychology; and
(ii) One year of supervised social work experience in a health care setting working directly with individuals.
(8) Environment. The state veterans home shall:
(a) Provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment, allowing the resident to use his or her personal belongings to the extent possible;
(b) Provide housekeeping and maintenance service necessary to maintain a sanitary, orderly, and comfortable interior;
(c) Maintain comfortable sound levels, to include:
(i) Minimizing the use of the public address system to ensure each use is in the best interest of the residents; and
(ii) Taking reasonable precautions with noisy services so as not to disturb residents, particularly during their sleeping time.
(9) Pets. Each resident shall have a reasonable opportunity to have regular contact with animals.
(a) The state veterans home shall consider the recommendations of residents, resident councils, and staff, and shall:
(i) Determine the method or methods of providing residents access to animals;
(ii) Determine the type and number of animals available in the state veterans home. Such animals may include those customarily considered domestic pets. Wild or exotic animals prohibited as pets under state law are not allowed;
(iii) Ensure the rights, preferences, and medical needs of the individual resident is not compromised by the presence of the animal; and
(iv) Ensure any animal visiting or living on the premises has a suitable temperament, is healthy, and otherwise poses no significant health or safety risks to residents, staff or visitors.
(b) Animals living on the state veterans home premises shall:
(i) Have regular examinations and immunizations, appropriate for the species, by a veterinarian licensed in Washington state; and
(ii) Be veterinarian certified to be free of diseases transmittable to humans.
(c) Pets shall be restricted from areas where food is prepared, treatments are being performed, or when residents object to the presence of pets.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.60A.070 and chapter 72.36 RCW. 94-22-050, § 484-20-088, filed 10/31/94, effective 12/1/94.]