Nursing home bill of rights

Nursing Home Bill of Right - Definition of a "Nursing Home"

Nursing Homes are facilities that provide nursing or convalescent care for three or more persons unrelated to the licensee. A nursing home provides it's residents with long term care of chronic conditions or short term convalescent or rehabilitative care of remedial ailments, for which medical and nursing care are indicated. Most of the residents are older adults who need long term care. Some nursing home residents are admitted for short stays of convalescent or rehabilitative care following hospitalization.

Below is the Nursing Home Bill of Rights. These are rights afforded to an elderly or ambulatory person residing in a "Nursing Home" You may download a copy of this Nursing Home Bill of Rights and post in your loved one's room.

Click Here to download the Nursing Home Bill of Rights in a PDF format (requires Adobe Acrobat) or scroll down to view online.

Call the Charlip Law Group, L.C. to review your nursing home or elder abuse case today at 1-800-773-1955.

Nursing Home Bill of Rights

Every resident shall have the following rights:

To be treated with consideration, respect, and full recognition of personal dignity and individuality.
To receive care, treatment, and services that are adequate and appropriate, and in compliance with relevant federal and State statutes and rules.
To receive at the time of admission and during stay, a written statement of services provided by the facility, including those required to be offered on an as needed basis, and of related charges. Charges for services not covered under Medicare and Medicaid shall be specified. The patient will sign a written receipt upon receiving the above information.
To have on file physician's orders with proposed schedule of medical treatment. Written, signed evidence of prior informed consent to participation in experimental research shall be in patient's file.
To receive respect and privacy in his medical care program. All personal and medical records are confidential.
To be free of mental and physical abuse. Except in emergencies, to be free of chemical and physical restraint unless authorized for a specified period of time by a physician according to clear and indicated medical need.
To receive from the administration or staff of the facility a reasonable response to all requests.
To associate and communicate privately and without restriction with persons and groups of the patients choice at any reasonable hour.
To send and receive mail promptly and unopened. To have access to a telephone where the patient may speak privately. To have access to writing instruments, stationary and postage.
To manage his/her own financial affairs unless other legal arrangements have been implemented. The facility may also assist the patient, but is required to follow stringent guidelines.
To have privacy in visits by the patient's spouse, and if both are patients in the same facility, they shall be given the opportunity, where feasible, to share a room.
To enjoy privacy in his/her room.
To present grievances and recommend changes in policies and services personally, through other persons or in combination with others, without fear of reprisal, restraint, interference, coercion, or discrimination.
To not be required to perform services for the facility without personal consent and the written approval of the attending physician.
To retain, to secure storage for, and to use his personal clothing and possessions, where reasonable.
To not be transferred or discharged from a facility except for medical, financial, or their own or other patient's welfare, nonpayment for the stay or when mandated by Medicare or Medicaid. Any such transfer shall require at least five days' notice, unless the attending physician orders immediate transfer, which shall be documented in the patient's medical record.
To be notified within ten days after the facility's license is revoked or made provisional. The responsible party or guardian must be notified as well.

Click Here to download the Nursing Home Bill of Rights in a PDF format (Requires Adobe Acrobat).