Opinion ID: 163864
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Nursing Home Care Act

Text: 13 Plaintiffs first argue that Oklahoma's Nursing Home Care Act, Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 63, § 1-1901 through § 1-1952, and regulations promulgated thereunder indicate that Oklahoma has a strong public policy supporting their whistleblowing. Plaintiffs refer specifically to § 1-1942, which authorizes the Oklahoma State Department of Health to promulgate rules and regulations under the Act. They also cite to one regulation promulgated under the Act, Okla. Admin. Code § 310:675-9-9.1 (Resident Care Services). 6 Plaintiffs argue that this regulation articulates a strong public policy because it expressly provide[s] for safeguards and procedures regarding the storage, safekeeping, monitoring, dispensing, and when necessary, the destruction of patient prescription drugs, including narcotic drugs such as the ones involved here. (Aplt. Br. at 6.) However, because Defendant is not governed by the Nursing Home Care Act or its regulations, Plaintiffs cannot rely on these laws to support their Burk tort claim. 14 In Griffin v. Mullinix, 947 P.2d 177 (Okla.1997), the Oklahoma Supreme Court held that an employee cannot articulate a public policy that would prevent his or her termination if that policy is based on laws that do not apply to the employer. Id. at 179 (holding that employee could not state a public policy to prevent his termination based on Oklahoma's workplace safety laws when those laws did not apply to his employer). Thus, we must determine what laws govern Defendant's facility to determine what laws we may consider in deciding whether Oklahoma has a strong public policy that would prevent Plaintiffs' termination. 15 Under Oklahoma law, the state may issue licenses for several types of elderly care facilities, including nursing homes, continuum of care or assisted living homes, and residential care facilities. Each type of facility is licensed under and governed by separate laws and regulations. Nursing homes are governed by the Nursing Home Care Act, Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 63, § 1-1901 through § 1-1952, and the regulations in chapter 675 of the Oklahoma Administrative Code. Continuum of care or assisted living facilities are governed by the Continuum of Care and Assisted Living Act, Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 63, § 1-890.1 through § 1-899.1, and the regulations in chapter 663 of the Oklahoma Administrative Code. Residential care facilities are governed by the Residential Care Act, Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 63, § 1-819 through § 1-842, and the regulations in chapter 680 of the Oklahoma Administrative Code. 16 Plaintiffs maintain that Defendant operates a nursing home governed by the Nursing Home Care Act; Defendant claims it operates a residential care facility, governed by the Residential Care Act. We agree with the district court's finding that Defendant operates a residential care facility. Defendant's license clearly indicates that it is a residential care facility, and Plaintiffs offer no evidence to the contrary. 17 Because Defendant operates a residential care facility, we may consider only laws governing residential care facilities. The Nursing Home Care Act specifically excludes residential care facilities from its coverage. Okla. Stat. Ann. § 1-1903(B). Although the Residential Care Act incorporates some provisions of the Nursing Home Care Act, id. § 1-840, Plaintiffs do not cite any of those provisions as supporting their claim of a strong Oklahoma public policy. Thus, under Griffin, the Nursing Home Care Act or regulations promulgated thereunder cannot establish a public policy sufficiently strong to prevent Plaintiffs' termination. 7