10A NCAC 13B .6205. PSYCHIATRIC UNIT

When a facility elects to establish an identifiable psychiatric unit, the following requirements shall be met:

(1)           Patient rooms shall meet the requirements of Rule .6201 of this Section with the following exceptions:

(a)           Patient room doors shall be designed with hardware that will permit the doors to swing into the corridors by the use of a special tool for emergency purposes;

(b)           Patient room doors shall be lockable from the corridor side only;

(c)           Outside wall corners shall be omitted where possible;

(d)           The ceiling shall be of monolithic construction and the air distribution devices, lighting fixtures, sprinkler heads, and other appurtenances shall be of the security type;

(e)           Oxygen and suction outlets are not required;

(f)            All windows shall have security screens or be designed to prevent escape and shall be openable without keys or tools; and

(g)           Each patient room shall be provided with a private toilet that meets the following requirements:

(i)            The door shall not be lockable;

(ii)           The door shall be capable of swinging outward;

(iii)          Where provided, electrical outlets shall be protected by ground fault interrupting devices;

(iv)          A nurse call system is not required where the documented programmatic demands of the facility prohibit its use; and

(v)           The ceiling shall comply with the requirements of Subitem (1)(d) of this Rule.

(2)           Where provided, a seclusion room shall meet the following requirements:

(a)           The room shall meet the requirements of Subitems (1)(a), (b), (c), (d) and (f) of this Rule;

(b)           The room shall have a view window of impact resistant glass in the door that permits visual observation of the entire room;

(c)           The floor space of the room shall not be less than 50 square feet in area with a ceiling height of not less than eight feet; and

(d)           The walls shall be completely free of objects.

(3)           The service areas noted in Rule .6201 of this Section and the following shall be provided:

(a)           Consultation room;

(b)           Examination and treatment room for exclusive use of the psychiatric unit located within the unit;

(c)           A conference room for exclusive use of the psychiatric unit located within the unit;

(d)           Space for dining and recreation with a total area of 35 square feet per patient;

(e)           Storage closets or cabinets for recreational and occupational therapy equipment; and

(f)            Storage facilities for patients' personal effects.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 131E-79;

Eff. January 1, 1996.