NAC449.74525. Dietary services.

     1. A facility for skilled nursing shall employ full-time, part-time or as a consultant, a person who is a licensed dietitian. If a licensed dietitian is not employed full-time, the facility shall designate a person to serve as the director of food service who receives frequently scheduled consultations from a licensed dietitian.

     2. A facility shall employ an adequate number of qualified and competent personnel to provide food service to the patients in the facility.

     3. Menus must be planned in advance and followed to meet the nutritional needs of the patients in the facility in accordance with the recommended dietary allowances of the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

     4. A facility shall provide to each patient in the facility:

     (a) Food that is prepared to conserve the nutritional value and flavor of the food.

     (b) Food that is nourishing, palatable, attractive and served at the proper temperature.

     (c) A well-balanced diet that meets the daily nutritional and special dietary needs of the patient.

     (d) Who refuses the food that is regularly served by the facility, a substitute of similar nutritional value.

     5. A therapeutic diet served to a patient by a facility must be prescribed by the attending physician of the patient.

     6. A facility shall serve to each patient in the facility at least three meals daily, at such times as are comparable to regular mealtimes within the community in which the facility is located. A snack must be offered to each patient daily at bedtime. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, breakfast must be served not more than 14 hours after the previous evening meal. If a nourishing snack is served at bedtime, breakfast may be served not more than 16 hours after the previous evening meal if approved by a group of patients organized pursuant to NAC 449.74499.

     7. A facility shall provide special eating equipment and utensils to each patient who requires them.

     8. A facility shall:

     (a) Comply with the applicable provisions of chapter 446 of NRS and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto and obtain such permits as are necessary from the Division for the preparation and service of food;

     (b) Maintain a report of each inspection concerning the sanitation of the hospital for at least 1 year after the date of the inspection;

     (c) Maintain a report of each corrective action taken to address a deficiency noted in a report described in paragraph (b) for at least 1 year after the date of the corrective action;

     (d) Procure food from sources that are approved or considered satisfactory by federal, state and local authorities;

     (e) Store, prepare and serve food under sanitary conditions; and

     (f) Dispose of refuse and garbage properly.

     (Added to NAC by Bd. of Health by R051-99, eff. 9-27-99; A by R067-04, 8-4-2004; R155-10, 12-16-2010; R090-12, 12-20-2012)