Texas Administrative Code › Title 26 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES › Part 1 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION › Chapter 554 - NURSING FACILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE AND MEDICAID CERTIFICATION › Subchapter D - FACILITY CONSTRUCTION › Division 5 - FACILITIES LICENSED ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, 2003 AND BEFORE APRIL 2, 2018 › Section 554.334 - Architectural Space Planning and Utilization

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) Resident bedrooms. Each resident bedroom
					 must meet the following requirements:
(1) The
					 maximum room capacity must be four residents.
(2) No more than 25% of the total licensed
					 beds may be in bedrooms with more than two beds each.
(3) Minimum bedroom area, excluding toilet
					 rooms, closets, lockers, wardrobes, alcoves, or vestibules, must be 100 square
					 feet in single occupancy rooms and 80 square feet per bed in multi-bed
					 rooms.
(4) The minimum allowable
					 room dimension is ten feet. The room must be designed to provide at least 36
					 inches between beds and 24 inches between any bed and the adjacent
					 wall.
(5) Each room must have at
					 least one operable outside window arranged and located so that it can be easily
					 opened from the inside without the use of tools or keys. The maximum allowable
					 sill height must not exceed 36 inches above the floor. All operable windows
					 must have insect screens. The minimum area of a window in each bedroom must
					 equal at least 16 square feet or 8.0% of the room area, whichever is larger.
					 Operable window sections may be restricted to not more than six nor less than
					 four inches for security or safety reasons.
(6) Each room must have general lighting,
					 wall-mounted bed reading lights, and night lighting. The night light must be
					 switched just inside the entrance to each resident room with a silent type
					 switch unless otherwise approved by HHSC. The light providing general
					 illumination must be switchable at the door of the resident room for use of
					 staff and residents. A durable non-glare reading light with an opaque front
					 panel securely anchored to the wall, integrally wired, must be provided for
					 each resident bed. The switch must be within reach of a resident in the
					 bed.
(7) Two duplex or a fourplex
					 grounding type receptacles must be provided beside the head of each bed. Other
					 walls must have duplex receptacles to accommodate items such as TV, radio,
					 razors, hairdryers, clocks, and as required by NFPA 70.
(8) Each resident must have access to a
					 toilet room without entering the general corridor area. One toilet room must
					 serve no more than two resident rooms. The toilet room must contain a water
					 closet and a lavatory. The lavatory may be omitted from a toilet room which
					 serves two bedrooms if each resident room contains a lavatory.
(9) Each resident must have a bed with a
					 comfortable mattress, a bedside stand with at least two enclosed storage
					 spaces, a dresser, and closet or wardrobe space providing privacy for clothing
					 and personal belongings. Clothes storage space must provide at least 22 inches
					 of lineal hanging space per bed and have closable doors. Chairs and space must
					 be provided for use by residents and visitors.
(10) Each room must open onto an exit
					 corridor and must be arranged for convenient resident access to dining, living,
					 and bathing areas.
(11) Visual
					 privacy such as cubicle curtains must be available for each resident in
					 multi-bed rooms. Design for privacy must not restrict resident access to entry,
					 lavatory, or toilet, nor may it restrict bed evacuation or obstruct sprinkler
					 flow coverage.
(12) At least one
					 noncombustible wastebasket must be provided in each bedroom.
(13) See the requirements in §
					 554.341(d)(4) of this subchapter (relating to Electrical Requirements) for
					 nurse call systems.
(14) Bedrooms
					 must be identified with a raised or recessed unique number placed on or near
					 the door. Refer to § 554.333(g) of this subchapter (relating to General
					 Considerations).
(15) Locks on
					 bedroom doors are permitted when they meet definite resident needs.
(A) Situations in which locking may be
					 necessary include the following:
(i) married
					 couples whose rights of privacy could be infringed upon unless bedroom door
					 locks are permitted; and
(ii)
					 residents for whom the attending physician wants bedroom door locks to enhance
					 the residents' sense of security.
(B) In situations such as those listed in
					 subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the following guidelines must be met:
(i) bedroom door locks must be of the type
					 which the occupant can unlock at will from inside the room;
(ii) all bedroom door locks must be of the
					 type which can be unlocked from the corridor side;
(iii) attendants must carry keys which will
					 permit ready access to the locked bedrooms when entrance becomes necessary;
					 and
(iv) locking of bedroom doors
					 by residents for privacy or security will not be permitted except when
					 specifically included in the attending physician's written orders or authorized
					 by the nursing facility administrator.
(16) Vacant bedrooms must not be used for
					 hazardous activities or hazardous storage, unless specifically approved by HHSC
					 in writing.