Things Nursing Homes are NOT Allowed to Do

Nursing homes should meet the laws and statutes put in place for the safety and security of its patients. Below are some imperative things nursing homes generally cannot do:

1. Physical Restraints: They are not allowed to use physical restraint such as strap or belts unless it is medically appropriate and ordered by a doctor for a specific and limited time period.

2. Chemical Restraints: Federal law prohibits the administration of drugs to sedate or control a behavior of a resident for the convenience of the nursing home staff.

3. Discrimination: No nursing home is permitted under federal law to discriminate against the residents due to their race, color, national origin, disability, age, or religion.

4. Denial of Rights: The rights of the residents include but are not limited to privacy, respect, right to manage their financial affairs, and protection from abuse and neglect. No nursing home shall commit such offenses against the rights of the residents.

5. Poor Staffing: Facilities shall have adequate staff to provide for the needs of residents, and nothing in these regulations shall be deemed to authorize any facility to operate with fewer staff than is necessary for providing the minimum amount of care needed.

6. Withholding Information:They should communicate to the residents and their families their medical condition, care plans, and any changes in treatment or status.

7. Improper Evictions: Nursing homes cannot take away a resident from the facility without due process for any transfer or discharge.

8. Misuse of Personal Funds: Facilities cannot misuse the funds of a resident; the funds need to be handled transparently wherein the facility exercises control over the finances of a resident.

These restrictions are supposed to uphold the dignity and health care of the individual in a nursing care setting whereby individuals are treated with respect and competency.