Sec 36-448.55. Medical staff; requirements; nursing care

A. A recovery care center shall have an organized medical staff responsible to the governing authority for the quality of medical care provided to patients and for the ethical and professional practices of its members. Subject to final action by the governing authority, the medical staff shall adopt bylaws and related procedures for the proper conduct of its activities. The medical staff of a recovery care center shall consist of two or more physicians.

B. A member of the medical staff shall admit patients to the recovery care center in accordance with medical staff bylaws, and patients shall be under the general care of a physician.

C. The medical staff is responsible for assuring the availability of physician services in the event of an emergency.

D. A recovery care center shall have an organized nursing service to provide nursing care to meet the needs of each patient. A recovery care center shall employ a registered nurse as director of nursing who is present at least forty hours each week when patients are in the facility. At least one registered nurse and one other nursing personnel shall be on duty at all times when there are patients in the facility. The nursing department shall be staffed at all times based on the number of patients and their health care needs. A staffing plan shall be maintained that includes individual staffing patterns for each nursing unit.