Current through Bulletin 2024-06, March 15, 2024
(1) The licensee
is responsible for the safety and well-being of patients in the event of an
emergency or disaster.
(2) The
licensee and the administrator are responsible to develop plans coordinated
with the state and local emergency disaster authorities to respond to potential
emergencies and disasters.
(a) The plan shall
outline the protection or evacuation of any patients and include arrangements
for staff response, or provisions of additional staff to ensure the safety of
any patient with physical or mental limitations.
(b) Emergencies and disasters include fire,
severe weather, missing patients, interruption of public utilities, explosion,
bomb threat, earthquake, flood, windstorm, epidemic, or mass
casualty.
(c) The emergency and
disaster response plan shall be in writing and distributed or made available to
any facility staff and patients to assure prompt and efficient
implementation.
(d) The licensee
and the administrator shall review and update the plan as necessary to conform
with local emergency plans. The plan shall be available for review by the
department.
(3) The
licensee's emergency and disaster response plans shall address the following:
(a) the names of the person in charge and any
person with decision-making authority;
(b) the name of any person to be notified in
an emergency in order of priority;
(c) the name and telephone number of
emergency medical personnel, fire department, paramedics, ambulance service,
police, and other appropriate agencies;
(d) instructions on how to contain a fire and
how to use the facility alarm systems;
(e) assignment of personnel to specific tasks
during an emergency;
(f) the
procedure to evacuate and transport patients and staff to a safe place within
the hospice or to other prearranged locations;
(g) instructions on how to recruit additional
help, supplies, and equipment to meet patient needs after an emergency or
disaster;
(h) delivery of essential
care and services to facility occupants by alternate means;
(i) delivery of essential care and services
to facility occupants when additional individuals are housed in the hospice
during an emergency;
(j) delivery
of essential care and services to facility occupants when personnel are reduced
by an emergency; and
(k)
maintenance of safe ambient air temperatures within the facility.
(i) Emergency heating shall have approval of
the local fire department.
(ii)
Ambient air temperatures of 58 degrees F. or below may constitute an imminent
danger to the health and safety of the patients in the hospice. The person in
charge shall take immediate action in the best interests of the patients;
and
(iii) The licensee shall have,
and be capable of implementing, contingency plans regarding excessively high
ambient air temperatures within the hospice that may exacerbate the medical
condition of patients.
(4) Personnel and patients shall receive
instruction and training in accordance with the plans to respond appropriately
in an emergency. The licensee shall:
(a)
annually review the procedures with existing staff and patients;
(b) hold simulated disaster drills
semi-annually; and
(c) document any
drills, including date, participants, problems encountered, and the ability of
each patient to evacuate.
(5) The administrator shall be in charge
during an emergency. If not on the premises, the administrator shall make every
effort to report to the hospice, relieve subordinates, and take
charge.
(6) Each inpatient hospice
licensee shall provide in-house any equipment and supplies required in an
emergency including emergency lighting, heating equipment, food, potable water,
extra blankets, a first aid kit, and a radio.
(7) The licensee shall post the following
information in appropriate locations throughout the facility:
(a) the name of the person in charge and
names and telephone numbers of emergency medical personnel, agencies, and
appropriate communication and emergency transport systems; and
(b) evacuation routes, location of fire alarm
boxes, and fire extinguishers.
(8) The licensee shall post emergency
telephone numbers at each nursing station.
(9) Fire drills and fire drill documentation
shall be in accordance with Rule R710-4, State of Utah Fire Prevention
Board.
