Title 31, Chapter 8, Section 109
( 31-8-109)
(a) Each resident shall be free from actual or threatened physical
restraints, isolation, or restrictions on mobility within or outside
the facility grounds, including the use of drugs to limit mobility,
except to the minimum extent necessary to protect the resident from
immediate injury to the resident or to others. In no event shall
restraints, restrictions, or isolation be used for punishment,
incentive, behavior conditioning or modification, or for the
convenience of the facility. (b) Restraints, restrictions, or isolation shall be used only
subject to the following conditions: (1) Prior to authorizing restraints, restrictions, or isolation,
the attending physician shall make a personal examination and
individualized determination of the need to use such restraints,
restriction, or isolation on that resident and shall specify a
reasonable time for such use. No restraint, restriction, or
isolation shall be used by the facility longer than 65 days for
intermediate care residents and longer than 35 days for skilled
nursing residents, except by reorder of the attending physician
after personal examination of the resident. Irrespective of such
time period specified, restraints, restrictions, or isolation
shall not be used beyond the period of actual need; (2) In an emergency situation, restraints, restrictions, or
isolation shall be authorized by the person in charge only to
protect the resident from immediate injury to the resident or
others and shall not be continued for more than 12 hours after the
onset of the emergency without personal examination and
authorization by the attending physician; (3) The resident and a person designated by the resident, if any,
shall be informed immediately of the need for the use of
restraint, restriction, or isolation, the reasons for such use,
and the time the physician has specified for such use. Such
information shall be recorded in the resident's file; (4) A restrained or isolated resident shall be monitored by the
staff at least every hour and released and exercised at least
every two hours, except during normal sleeping hours; and (5) When a restraint, restriction, or isolation is used under this
Code section, the resident shall retain all rights enumerated in
this article. |