(a) A hospice is responsible for staffing its inpatient unit with the numbers and types of qualified, trained, and experienced staff to meet the care needs of every client in the inpatient unit to ensure that plan of care outcomes are achieved and negative outcomes are avoided.
(b) A hospice inpatient unit must provide 24-hour nursing services that meet the nursing needs of all clients and are furnished in accordance with each client's plan of care.
  (1) A client must receive all nursing services as prescribed in the plan of care and must be kept comfortable, clean, well-groomed, and protected from accident, injury, and infection.
  (2) If at least one client in the hospice inpatient unit is receiving general inpatient care for pain control or symptom management, then each shift must include an RN who provides direct client care.
  (3) A hospice inpatient unit must have a nurse call system. The hospice must install in a client's room a system that:
    (A) is equipped with an easily activated, functioning device accessible to the client; and
    (B) allows the client to call for assistance from a staff person on the unit.

Source Note: The provisions of this §558.870 adopted to be effective October 1, 2013, 38 TexReg 6628; transferred effective May 1, 2019, as published in the April 12, 2019 issue of the Texas Register, 44 TexReg 1893; amended to be effective April 25, 201, 46 TexReg 2427