The emergency response plans must detail how nursing homes will isolate “at risk” residents from the rest of the population and inform residents, families, visitors and staff of an outbreak. The outbreak at Wanaque, which sickened 35 children and one employee, was partly blamed on the nursing home’s delay in hospitalizing patients and failure to properly isolate those infected.
Nursing homes must submit their emergency plans to the Department of Health within 180 days.
More articles on post-acute care:
California nursing homes must consult patient or rep for psychiatric drugs, end-of-life care
New York cites nursing home for violations after resident death
Patients at high risk in transition from hospital to long-term care, study finds