NAC449.361. Nursing services.

     1. A hospital shall have a well-organized plan that provides for 24-hour nursing services. The nursing services must be furnished or supervised by a registered nurse.

     2. The governing body and the hospital shall ensure that the nursing services provided at the hospital are provided in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

     3. The nursing service shall have a sufficient number of licensed registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and other personnel to provide nursing care to all patients as needed. A sufficient number of registered nurses and other members of the nursing staff must be on duty at all times to ensure that proper care is provided to each patient. A person who is not a registered nurse may be assigned to care for a patient, if:

     (a) The extent of care provided by the person is consistent with his or her education and experience and is within his or her scope of practice; and

     (b) The person is supervised by a registered nurse while providing that care.

     4. A hospital shall have a system for determining the nursing needs of each patient. The system must include assessments made by a registered nurse of the needs of each patient and the provision of staffing based on those assessments.

     5. The plan for providing nursing services must include a plan of administrative authority and a delineation of responsibilities for patient care.

     6. A hospital shall ensure that the nursing staff develops and keeps current a plan for nursing care for each inpatient.

     7. The nursing services must be under the direct supervision of a chief administrative nurse. The chief administrative nurse must be knowledgeable, skilled and competent in clinical practice and nursing management. The chief administrative nurse shall direct and supervise the nursing services in compliance with chapter 632 of NRS and nationally recognized professional standards for organized nursing services.

     8. The chief administrative nurse shall define the policies, procedures and standards relating to the provision of nursing services and shall ensure that the members of the nursing staff carry out those policies, procedures and standards. The policies, procedures and standards must be documented and accessible to each member of the nursing staff in written or electronic form. The chief administrative nurse must approve each element of the policies, procedures and standards before the element may be used or put into effect.

     9. A hospital shall ensure that its patients receive proper treatment and care provided by its nursing services in accordance with nationally recognized standards of practice and physicians’ orders.

     [Bd. of Health, Health Facilities Reg. Part III Ch. I § IV, eff. 10-9-69]—(NAC A by R050-99, 9-27-99)