SB-0938 Summary

• Requires nursing homes to use evidence-based, nationally recognized clinical process guidelines or best-practice resources to develop resident care policies and compliance protocols with measurable outcomes in 14 specific clinical practice areas including bed rail use, fall prevention, pressure ulcer prevention, pain management, dementia care, and person-centered care principles.

• Establishes quarterly meetings between the department and nursing home stakeholders including providers, residents/families, and the long-term care ombudsman to discuss performance promotion, survey improvements, fair enforcement, transparency, and clinical process guidelines.

• Defines key terms including "immediate jeopardy" (serious injury or harm likely to result from noncompliance) and "actual harm" (negative outcome compromising resident's highest practicable physical, mental, or psychosocial well-being), with detailed factors for surveyors to consider when making compliance determinations.

• Requires department to maintain best-practice protocols for bed rail use, including proper maintenance, mattress fit, and hazard prevention, with nursing homes needing signed consent and physician orders before providing bed rails; protects compliant facilities from administrative penalties.

• Changes terminology throughout from "patient" to "resident" and requires surveyors to consider nationally recognized clinical guidelines when making compliance decisions; mandates annual reports to legislature on nursing home surveys, citations, and complaint response metrics.