Federal Requirements for Nursing Homes

Federal nursing home regulations require that nursing homes:

Conduct a comprehensive and accurate assessment of each resident’s functional capacity. 42 CFR § 483.20
Develop a comprehensive care plan for each resident. 42 CFR § 483.21
Employ a sufficient nursing staff. 42 CFR § 483.35
Provide, if the resident is unable to carry out activities of daily living, necessary services to maintain good nutrition, grooming and personal oral hygiene. 42 CFR § 483.25; 42 CFR § 483.24
Prevent deterioration of a resident’s ability to dress, groom, bathe, transfer and ambulate, toilet, eat and communicate. 42 C.F.R. § 483.25
Ensure residents receive proper treatment and assistive devices to maintain vision and hearing. 42 C.F.R. § 483.25
Ensure residents to not develop pressure ulcers and if a resident has pressure ulcers, provide the necessary treatment and services to promote healing, prevent infection and prevent new sores from developing. 42 C.F.R. § 483.25
Provide appropriate treatment and services for incontinent residents to restore as much bowel and bladder function as possible. 42 C.F.R. § 483.25
Ensure that residents receive adequate supervision and assistive devices to prevent accidents. 42 C.F.R. § 483.25
Maintain acceptable parameters regarding nutritional status. 42 C.F.R. § 483.25
Provide each resident with sufficient fluid intake to maintain proper hydration (and prevent dehydration). 42 C.F.R. § 483.25
Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors. 42 C.F.R. § 483.45
Promote each resident’s quality of life. 42 C.F.R. § 483.24
Maintain dignity and respect for each resident. 42 C.F.R. § 483.10
Ensure that residents have the right to choose activities, schedules, and healthcare. 42 C.F.R. § 483.10
Provide pharmacuetical services to meet each resident’s needs. 42 C.F.R. § 483.45
Administer the nursing home in a manner that enables the nursing home to use it’s resources effectively and efficiently. 42 C.F.R. § 483.70
Maintain accurate, complete and easily accessible clinical records on each resident. 42 C.F.R. § 483.70