Since 1987, the federal Nursing Home Reform Act has provided a number of important protections for residents of skilled nursing facilities. A few of these are:
Freedom from restraints. The act provides prohibits the use of “physical or chemical restraints imposed for purposes of discipline or convenience and not required to treat the resident’s medical symptoms,” as well as “physical or mental abuse, corporal punishment, [and] involuntary seclusion. Restraints may be imposed only to ensure physical safety and only on a written physician’s order.
Freedom of choice. The act ensures that residents have the right to “choose a personal attending physician, to be fully informed in advance about care and treatment, [and] to be fully informed in advance of any changes in care or treatment.”
Room change notice. A resident has the right to notice prior to any change in the resident’s room or roommate.
Confidentiality. The facility must keep a resident’s personal and clinical records confidential, and provide access to current records upon the request of the resident or his or her legal representative within 24 hours.
Privacy. A resident has the “right to privacy with regard to accommodations, medical treatment, written and telephonic communications, visits, and meetings of family and of resident groups.”
Protection of resident funds. A facility must “hold, safeguard, and account for” a resident’s personal funds, but “may not require residents to deposit their personal funds with the facility.”
Grievances. A resident has the right “to voice grievances with respect to treatment or care … without discrimination or reprisal for voicing grievances and the right to prompt efforts by the facility to resolve grievances the resident may have, including those with respect to the behavior of other residents.
A complete list and description of resident’s rights under the act may be found in 42 U.S.C. § 1395i-3, which you can read by clicking here.
