One of the fastest growing groups of patients requiring dialysis care is those who are aged 75 and older. For many of the elderly receiving dialysis, their care is done through either long-term care facilities or through in-patient treatments. Because a majority of dialysis patients do reside in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services have recently updated a set of rules governing the treatment for patients in these facilities. Healio reports on the story.
CMS released the list of rules governing dialysis treatment on August 9th. In addition to covering long-term care facilities, these rules also regulate the basic requirements for operating a dialysis facility.
The rules require some of the following:
- An onsite registered nurse is required whenever a patient is receiving hemodialysis in a nursing home.
- Qualified dialysis administering personnel are present in the room and maintain direct visual contact of the resident receiving hemodialysis for the duration of the treatment.
- In the event that dialysis treatment in a nursing home is not available due to staffing or supervision issues, the ESRD facility is notified and provides treatments to avoid treatment delays or cancellations.
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In addition, the registered nurse who is on site during the treatment must remain in the general area in which the treatment is taking place. This allows for a prompt response to medical situations which may arise during the course of the treatment. In cases where the registered nurse has other duties within the facility, these duties must not hinder the nurse’s ability to respond to the needs of the dialysis patient.
Staff members who initiate or discontinue dialysis treatment must be a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, or a licensed vocational nurse. They must also meet the licensing and practicing requirements for the state in which they are practicing.
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