This regulation requires nursing facilities (SNFs and NFs) to be designed or equipped to provide full visual privacy for each resident at their bed, without requiring staff assistance. Facilities certified after March 31, 1992 must have ceiling-suspended curtains around each bed in shared rooms. Operators may use alternative means (screens, room design, etc.) as long as complete visual withdrawal from public view is assured.
View official sourceF914 (Rev. 173, Issued: 11-22-17, Effective: 11-28-17, Implementation: 11-28-17) §483.90(e)(1)(iv) Be designed or equipped to assure full visual privacy for each resident; §483.90(e)(1)(v) In facilities initially certified after March 31, 1992, except in private rooms, each bed must have ceiling suspended curtains, which extend around the bed to provide total visual privacy in combination with adjacent walls and curtains. GUIDANCE: §483.90(e)(1)(iv) and (e)(1)(v) “Full visual privacy” means that residents have a means of completely withdrawing from public view, without staff assistance, while occupying their bed (e.g., curtain, moveable screens, private room). The guidelines do not intend to limit the provisions of privacy to solely one or more curtains, movable screens or a private room. Facility operators are free to use other means to provide full visual privacy, with those means varying according to the needs and requests of residents. However, the requirement explicitly states that bedrooms must “be designed or equipped to assure full visual privacy for each resident.” For example, a resident with a bed by the window cannot be required to remain out of his or her room while his/her roommate is having a dressing change. Room design or equipment must provide privacy. The term “initially certified” is defined as all newly certified nursing facilities (NFs) or SNFs as well as NFs and SNFs which re-enter the Medicare or Medicaid programs, whether they voluntarily or involuntarily left the program after March 31, 1992. It is not necessary for the bed to be accessible from both sides when the privacy curtain in pulled. Additional guidance is available in the National Fire Protection Association’s Life Safety Code 101 (NFPA 101, 2012 ed.), 18/19.7.5.1, 18/19.3.5.11, which is Tag K751 of the Life Safety Code Survey. PROCEDURES: §483.90(e)(1)(iv) and (e)(1)(v) There are no provisions for physician statements to be used as a basis for variance of the requirements for full visual privacy. PROBES: §483.90(e)(1)(iv) and (e)(1)(v) Observe whether each resident selected for a comprehensive or focused review has a means to achieve full visual privacy.