How do nurse staffing requirements differ for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), compared to general acute care hospitals?
A. CAHs have more flexibility regarding staffing levels for nurses. NDCC 33-07-01.1-16(2b) states “a registered nurse must provide or assign to other personnel the nursing care of each patient, including patients at a skilled nursing facility level of care in a swingbed. The care must be provided in accordance with the patient’s needs and the specialized qualification and competence of the staff available. When a registered nurse is not on duty, the nurse executive or another registered nurse designated as the nurse executive’s alternate must be on call and available within twenty minutes at all times. If there are no patients in the facility, staffing must include at least one licensed nurse with a RN on call and available within 20 minutes. As in any health care setting it is incumbent on the practitioner to function within their role and scope. NDAC Article 54-05 Standards of Practice outlines the role and scope for the RN & LPN and are available on the website at www.ndbon.org then
