Rules & Regulations of the State of Tennessee
Title 0720 - Health Facilities Commission
Chapter 0720-35 - Standards For Home Care Organizations Providing Professional Support Services
Section 0720-35-.06 - BASIC AGENCY FUNCTIONS

(a) The written plan of care, developed in consultation with the agency staff, shall cover all pertinent diagnoses, including mental status, types of services and equipment required, frequency of services, prognosis, rehabilitation potential, functional limitations, activities permitted, nutritional requirements, medications and treatments, any safety measures to protect against injury, instructions for timely discharge or referral, and any other appropriate items. If a physician refers a consumer under a plan of care which cannot be completed until after an evaluation visit, the physician shall be consulted to approve additions or modifications to the original plan. Orders for professional support services shall include the specific treatment or modalities to be used and their amount, frequency and duration. The therapist and other agency personnel shall participate in developing the plan of care.

(b) The plan(s) of care for acute or episodic illness shall be reviewed by the attending physician and agency personnel involved in the consumer's care as often as the severity of the consumer's condition requires, but at least annually. Plans of care resulting from Comprehensive Nursing Assessment will be reviewed in accordance with the physical status review schedule. Evidence of review by the physician must include the physician's signature and date of the review on the plan of care. A facsimile of the physician's signature is acceptable. Professional staff shall promptly alert the physician to any changes that suggest a need to alter the plan of care.

(a) When skilled nursing is provided, the services shall be provided by or under the supervision of a registered nurse who has no current disciplinary action against his/her license, in accordance with the plan of care. This person shall be available at all times during operating hours and participate in all activities relevant to the professional support services provided, including the development of qualifications and assignment of personnel.

(b) The registered nurse's duties shall include but are not limited to the following: make the initial evaluation visit, except in those circumstances where the physician has ordered therapy services as the only skilled service; regularly evaluate the consumer's nursing needs; initiate the plan of care and necessary revisions; provide those services requiring substantial specialized nursing skill; initiate appropriate preventive and rehabilitative nursing procedures; prepare clinical and progress notes; coordinate services; inform the physician and other personnel of changes in the consumer's condition and needs; counsel the consumer and family in meeting nursing and related needs; participate in in-service programs; supervise and teach other nursing personnel. The registered nurse or appropriate agency staff shall initially and periodically evaluate drug interactions, duplicative drug therapy and non-compliance to drug therapy.

(c) The licensed practical nurse shall provide services in accordance with agency policies, which may include but are not limited to the following: prepare clinical and progress notes; assist the physician and/or registered nurse in performing specialized procedures; prepare equipment and materials for treatments; observe aseptic technique as required; and assist the consumer in learning appropriate self-care techniques.

(a) All therapy services offered by the agency directly or under arrangement shall be planned, delegated, supervised or provided by a qualified therapist in accordance with the plan of care. A qualified therapist assistant may provide therapy services under the supervision of a qualified therapist in accordance with the plan of care. The therapist shall assist the physician in evaluating the level of function, helping develop the plan of care (revising as necessary), preparing clinical and progress notes, advising and consulting with the family and other agency personnel, and participating in in-service programs.

(b) Speech therapy services shall be provided only by or under supervision of a qualified speech language pathologist in good standing, or by a person qualified as a Clinical Fellow subject to Tennessee Board of Communications Disorders and Sciences Rule 1370-01-.10.

(a) An agency shall have a committee or mechanism in place to review, at least annually, past and present professional support services including contract services, in accordance with a written plan, to determine their appropriateness and effectiveness and to ascertain that professional policies are followed in providing these services.

(b) The objectives of the review committee shall be:

(a) There must be an active performance improvement program for developing guidelines, policies, procedures and techniques for the prevention, control and investigation of infections and communicable diseases.

(b) Formal provisions must be developed to educate and orient all appropriate personnel and/or family members in the practice of aseptic techniques such as handwashing and scrubbing practices, proper hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, dressing care techniques, disinfecting and sterilizing techniques, and the handling and storage of consumer care equipment and supplies.

(c) A Home Care Organization Providing Professional Support Services shall have an annual influenza vaccination program which shall include at least:

(d) Continuing education shall be provided for all agency consumer care providers on the cause, effect, transmission, prevention and elimination of infections, as evidenced by the ability to verbalize/or demonstrate an understanding of basic techniques.

(e) The agency shall develop policies and procedures for testing a consumer's blood for the presence of the hepatitis B virus and the HIV (AIDS) virus in the event that an employee of the agency, a student studying at the agency or other health care provider rendering services at the agency is exposed to a consumer's blood or other body fluid. The testing shall be performed at no charge to the consumer, and the test results shall be confidential.

(f) The agency and its employees shall adopt and utilize standard precautions (per CDC) for preventing transmission of infections, HIV and communicable diseases.

(g) Precautions shall be taken to prevent the contamination of sterile and clean supplies by soiled supplies. Sterile supplies shall be packaged and stored in a manner that protects the sterility of the contents.

(a) A medical record containing past and current findings in accordance with accepted professional standards shall be maintained for every consumer receiving professional support services. In addition to the plan of care, the record shall contain: appropriate identifying information; name of physician; all medications and treatments; signed and dated clinical notes. Clinical notes shall be written the day on which service is rendered and incorporated no less often than weekly; copies of summary reports shall be sent to the physician; and a discharge summary shall be dated and signed within 7 days of discharge.

(b) All medical records, either in written, electronic, graphic or other acceptable form, must be retained in their original or legally reproduced form for a minimum period of at least ten (10) years after which such records may be destroyed. However, in cases of consumers under mental disability or minority, their complete agency records shall be retained for the period of minority or known mental disability, plus one (1) year, or ten (10) years following the discharge of the consumer, whichever is longer. Records destruction shall be accomplished by burning, shredding or other effective method in keeping with the confidential nature of the contents. The destruction of records must be made in the ordinary course of business, must be documented and in accordance with the agency's policies and procedures, and no record may be destroyed on an individual basis.

(c) Even if the agency discontinues operations, records shall be maintained as mandated by this chapter and the Tennessee Medical Records Act (T.C.A. §§ 68-11-308). If a consumer is transferred to another health care facility or agency, a copy of the record or an abstract shall accompany the consumer when the agency is directly involved in the transfer.

(d) Medical records information shall be safeguarded against loss or unauthorized use. Written procedures shall govern use and removal of records and conditions for release of information. The consumer's written consent shall be required for release of information when the release is not otherwise authorized by law.

(e) For purposes of this rule, the requirements for signature or countersignature by a physician or other person responsible for signing, countersigning or authenticating an entry may be satisfied by the electronic entry by such person of a unique code assigned exclusively to him or her, or by entry of other unique electronic or mechanical symbols, provided that such person has adopted same as his or her signature in accordance with established protocol or rules.