Section 449.332 - Discharge planning1. A hospital shall: (a) Have a process for discharge planning that applies to all inpatients; and(b) Develop and carry out policies and procedures regarding the process for discharge planning.2. The process for discharge planning must include the participation of registered nurses, social workers or other personnel qualified, through education or experience, to perform discharge planning.3. A hospital shall, at the earliest possible stage of hospitalization, identify each patient who is likely to suffer adverse health consequences upon discharge if the patient does not receive adequate discharge planning. The hospital shall provide for an evaluation of the needs related to discharge planning of each patient so identified.4. An evaluation of the needs of a patient relating to discharge planning must include, without limitation, consideration of: (a) The needs of the patient for postoperative services and the availability of those services;(b) The capacity of the patient for self-care; and(c) The possibility of returning the patient to a previous care setting or making another appropriate placement of the patient after discharge.5. If the evaluation of a patient relating to discharge planning indicates a need for a discharge plan, a discharge plan must be developed under the supervision of a registered nurse, social worker or other person qualified to perform discharge planning.6. An evaluation of a patient relating to discharge planning and a discharge plan for the patient may be requested by the patient, a physician, a member of the family of the patient or the guardian of the patient, if any.7. If a hospital finds that a patient does not need a discharge plan, the attending physician may still request a discharge plan for the patient. If the attending physician makes such a request, the physician shall collaborate as much as necessary with the hospital staff in the development of the discharge plan.8. Activities related to discharge planning must be conducted in a manner that does not contribute to delays in the discharge of the patient.9. The evaluation of the needs of a patient relating to discharge planning and the discharge plan for the patient, if any, must be documented in his or her medical record.10. The discharge plan must be discussed with the patient or the person acting on behalf of the patient.11. The patient, members of the family of the patient and any other person involved in caring for the patient must be provided with such information as is necessary to prepare them for the posthospital care of the patient.12. If, during the course of a patient's hospitalization, factors arise that may affect the needs of the patient relating to his or her continuing care or current discharge plan, the needs of the patient must be reassessed and the plan, if any, must be adjusted accordingly.13. A hospital shall arrange for the initial implementation of the discharge plans of its patients.14. If identified in a discharge plan, referral of a patient to outpatient services or transfer of the patient to another facility must be accomplished in a manner that meets the identified needs of the patient, including the sharing of necessary medical information about the patient with the receiving service or facility.Nev. Admin. Code § 449.332
Added to NAC by Bd. of Health by R050-99, eff. 9-27-99