77 Ill. Adm. Code 250.910
Nursing Services
Section 250
Section 250.910Â Nursing
Services
The hospital shall provide an
organized nursing service.
a)        Nursing Services – General Provisions
b)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The hospital shall maintain a staff of nursing personnel
organized to provide the nursing care for its patients commensurate with the
size, scope and nature of the hospital.
c)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Director of Nursing Administration
1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The nursing service shall be under the direction of a
registered professional nurse who has qualifications in nursing administration
and who has the ability to organize, coordinate, and evaluate the service.
2)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Nursing Administrator (Director of Nursing) shall be a
registered professional nurse who holds a degree in nursing or has documented
experience and relevant continuing education. He/She shall be employed
full-time within the hospital as director of the nursing administration.
3)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Nursing Administrator shall be accountable to the Chief
Executive Officer or designate for developing and implementing policies and
procedures of the service and for the nursing practice.
4)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Nursing Administrator should have authority over the
selection, promotion and retention of nursing personnel based on established
job descriptions.
d)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Assistants to the Nursing Administrator.
A qualified registered nurse shall be designated and
authorized to act in the absence of the nursing administrator on a 24 hour
basis.
e)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nursing Staff.
1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â A sufficient number of registered professional nurses shall be
on duty at all times to assess, plan, assign, supervise, and evaluate nursing
care and provide patients such nursing care for which the judgement and
specialized skills of a registered nurse is required.
2)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Licensed practical nurses and other nursing personnel shall be
qualified through training, education, and experience, and shall have
demonstrated abilities to give nursing care that does not require the skill and
judgement of a registered professional nurse. Auxiliary nursing personnel
shall be assigned and supervised by a professional nurse and shall be given
only those duties for which they are trained.
3)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The number of registered professional nurses, licensed
practical nurses and other nursing personnel assigned to each patient care unit
shall be consistent with the types of nursing care needed by the patients and
the capabilities of the staff. Patients on each unit shall be evaluated near
the end of each change of shift by criteria developed by the nursing service.
4)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Specific staffing requirements for particular units shall be
followed as stated in other sections of this Part.
f)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Staffing Standards.
1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â There shall be staffing schedules reflecting actual nursing
personnel required for the hospital and for each patient unit. Staffing
patterns shall reflect consideration of nursing goals, standards of nursing
practice, and the needs of the patients.
2)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Staffing schedules shall accomplish the following:
A)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Identification of the nurse in charge of the patient care unit.
B)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Assignment of personnel in a manner which gives consideration
to patient care plans and minimizes the risk of cross-infections.
C)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Projection of future time schedules indicating assignment of
personnel by name, status, date and duty tour.
D)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Time schedules shall be kept in detail, indicating the
assignment of nursing personnel by name, status, date, patient care unit, and
duty tour. Actual time reports shall be kept verifying personnel attendance by
name date, patient care unit, and time of actual attendance.