**§59.140 Nursing home care requirements.**

As a condition for receiving a grant and grant funds for a nursing home
facility under this part, States must comply with the requirements of
this section.

\(a\) Resident rooms must be designed and equipped for adequate nursing
care, comfort, and privacy of residents. Resident rooms must:

> \(1\) Accommodate no more than four residents;
>
> \(2\) Have direct access to an exit corridor;
>
> \(3\) Have at least one window to the outside;
>
> \(4\) Be equipped with, or located near, toilet and bathing facilities
> (VA recommends that public toilet facilities also be located near the
> residents dining and recreational areas);
>
> \(5\) Be at or above grade level;
>
> \(6\) Be designed or equipped to ensure full visual privacy for each
> resident;
>
> \(7\) Except in private rooms, each bed must have ceiling suspended
> curtains that extend around the bed to provide total visual privacy in
> combination with adjacent walls and curtains;
>
> \(8\) Have a separate bed for each resident of proper size and height
> for the safety of the resident;
>
> \(9\) Have a clean, comfortable mattress;
>
> \(10\) Have bedding appropriate to the weather and climate;
>
> \(11\) Have functional furniture appropriate to the resident\'s needs,
> and
>
> \(12\) Have individual closet space with clothes racks and shelves
> accessible to the resident.

\(b\) Unless determined by VA as necessary to accommodate an increased
quality of care for patients, a nursing home project may propose a
deviation of no more than 10 percent (more or less) from the following
net square footage for the State to be eligible for a grant of 65
percent of the total estimated cost of the project. If the project
proposes building more than the following net square footage and VA
makes a determination that it is not needed, the cost of the additional
net square footage will not be included in the estimated total cost of
construction.

Table to Paragraph (b)---Nursing Home

I. Support facilities \[allowable square feet (or metric equivalent) per

facility for VA participation\]:

Administrator\...\..... 200

Assistant administrator\... 150

Medical officer, director of

nursing or equivalent 150

Nurse and dictation area\... 120

General administration (each

office/person) 120

Clerical staff (each)\..... 80

Computer area\...\...\... 40

Conference room (consultation

area, in-service training) 500 (for each room)

Lobby/waiting area. (150 minimum/600

maximum per facility) 3 (per bed)

Public/resident toilets (male/ female) 25 (per fixture)

Pharmacy1

Dietetic service1

Dining area\...\...\...\.... 20 (per bed)

Canteen/retail sales\...\... 2 (per bed)

Vending machines (450 max. per facility) 1 (per bed)

Resident toilets (male/female) 25 (per fixture)

Child day care1

Medical support (staff offices/

exam/treatment room/family

counseling, etc.) 140 (for each room)

Barber and/or beauty shops. 140

Mail room\...\...\...\..... 120

Janitor\'s closet\...\...\... 40

Multipurpose room\... 15 (per bed)

Employee lockers\...\..... 6 (per employee)

Employee lounge (500 max. per facility). 120

Employee toilets\...\...\.... 25 (per fixture)

Chapel\...\...\...\...\...\... 450

Physical therapy\...\...\.... 5 (per bed)

Office, if required\...\.... 120

Occupational therapy\.... 5 (per bed).

Office, if required\...\.... 120

Library\...\...\...\...\..... 1.5 (per bed)

Building maintenance storage. 2.5 (per bed)

Resident storage\...\..... 6 (per bed)

General warehouse storage\.... 6 (per bed)

Medical/dietary/pharmacy.. 7 (per bed)

General laundry1

II\. Bed units:

One\...\...\...\...\...\...\... 150

Two\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\... 245

Large two-bed per unit\..... 305

Four\...\...\...\...\...\..... 460

Lounge areas (resident lounge

with storage). 8 (per bed)

Resident quiet room\...\..... 3 (per bed)

Clean utility\...\...\.... 120

Soiled utility\...\... 105

Linen storage\.... 150

General storage\...\...\..... 100

Nurses station, ward secretary 260

Medication room\...\...\...\... 75

Exam/Treatment room\...\..... 140

Waiting area\...\...\...\... 50

Unit supply and equipment\.... 50

Staff toilet\...\...\...\.... 25 (per fixture)

Stretcher/wheelchair storage 100

Kitchenette\...\...\..... 150

Janitor\'s closet\...\..... 40

Resident laundry\...\... 125

Trash collection\...\... 60

III\. Bathing and Toilet Facilities:

\(A\) Private or shared facilities:

Wheelchair facilities\... 25 (per fixture)

Standard facilities\..... 15 (per fixture)

\(B\) Full bathroom\...\.... 75

\(C\) Congregate bathing facilities:

First tub/shower\...\..... 80

Each additional fixture. 25

1The size to be determined by the Chief Consultant, Geriatrics and
Extended Care, as necessary to accommodate projected patient care needs
(must be justified by State in space program analysis).

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101, 501, 1710, 1742, 8105, 8131-8137; Sections 2,
3, 4, and 4a of the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, as amended,
Public Law 90-480, 42 U.S.C. 4151-4157).

*Next Section is §59.150*