North Carolina Administrative Code
Title 10A - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Chapter 13 - NC MEDICAL CARE COMMISSION
Subchapter B - LICENSING OF HOSPITALS
Section .5400 - COMPREHENSIVE INPATIENT REHABILITATION
Section 13B .5408 - COMPREHENSIVE INPATIENT REHABILITATION PROGRAM STAFFING REQUIREMENTS

(1) the inpatient rehabilitation facility or unit shall be supervised by a rehabilitation nurse as defined in Rule .5401 of this Section. The facility shall assign staff qualified to meet the needs of the patient;

(2) the minimum nursing hours per patient in the rehabilitation unit shall be 5.5 nursing hours per patient day. At no time shall direct care nursing staff be less than two full-time equivalents, one of which must be a registered nurse;

(3) the inpatient rehabilitation unit shall employ or provide by contractual agreements therapists to provide three hours of specific (physical, occupational or speech) or combined rehabilitation therapy services per patient day;

(4) rehabilitation aides shall have documented training appropriate to the activities to be performed and the occupational licensure laws of his or her supervisor. Supervision by the physical therapist or by the occupational therapist is limited to that time when the therapist is on-site and directing the rehabilitation activities of the aide; and

(5) hours of service by the rehabilitation aide are counted toward the required nursing hours when the aide is working under the supervision of the nurse. Hours of service by the rehabilitation aide are counted toward therapy hours during that time the aide works under the immediate, on-site supervision of the physical therapist or occupational therapist. Hours of service shall not be dually counted for both services. Hours of service by rehabilitation aides in performing nurse-aide duties in areas of the facility other than the rehabilitation unit shall not be counted toward the 5.5 hour minimum nursing requirement described for the rehabilitation unit.