A facility shall comply with the following provisions:

1. (1) A physician's, physician assistant's, or nurse practitioner's order for confinement that includes medical symptoms that warrant seclusion or placement must be documented in the patient's chart and must be reviewed periodically by the physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner;
2. (2) Therapeutic programming must be provided and documented in the overall plan of care;
3. (3) Confinement may not be used as a punishment or for the convenience of the staff;
4. (4) Confinement and its necessity must be based on a comprehensive assessment of the patient's physical, cognitive, and psychosocial needs, and the risks and benefits of this confinement must be communicated to the patient's family;
5. (5) Locked doors must conform to§§ 18.2.2.2.5 and 19.2.2.2.5 of NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, 2012 edition; and

6. (6) Staff assigned to the secured unit must have specific training regarding the unique needs of patients in that unit. The facility shall ensure adequate staff are on duty at all times to safely provide care and services to the patients.

   For the purposes of this section, the term, secured unit, means a distinct area of a facility in which the physical environment and design maximizes functioning abilities, promotes safety, and encourages independence for a defined, unique population and that is staffed by persons with training to meet the needs of patients admitted to the unit.

   Reference: NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, 2012 edition, National Fire Protection Association. Copies may be obtained at https://www.nfpa.org/product/nfpa-101-code/p0101code?Edition=2012&Language=English&Format=Softbound&type=digital. Cost: $160.00.

Source: 42 SDR 51, effective October 13, 2015 ; 50 SDR 62, effective November 27, 2023; 51 SDR 53, effective November 11, 2024 .

General Authority: SDCL 34-12-13 .

Law Implemented: SDCL 34-12-13 .

Prior versions effective: 2023-11-27, 2015-10-13.