The Office of Certificate of Need and Healthcare Facility Licensure in the Health Facilities Evaluation and Licensing Division of the Senior Services and Health Systems Branch of the Department of Health and Senior Services (Department) proposes to adopt new rules at N.J.A.C. 8:43E-11 governing violence prevention in health care facilities and at N.J.A.C. 8:43E-12 governing safe patient handling in health care facilities.

         The new rules for violence prevention would apply to hospitals and nursing homes licensed by the Department, and would require these healthcare facilities to establish a violence prevention program, committee and plan.  Covered healthcare facilities would be required to complete annual violence risk assessments; to provide violence prevention training; to establish procedures for incident handling, investigation and reporting; and to maintain records of violent acts.  Covered healthcare facilities would be subject to penalties for violating the requirements of the new rules.

         The new rules for safe patient handling would apply to hospitals and nursing homes licensed by the Department, and would require these healthcare facilities to minimize unassisted patient handling by utilizing patient handling equipment.  The proposed new rules would require covered healthcare facilities to establish a safe patient handling program, committee and plan.  Covered healthcare facilities would be required to conduct needs assessments for each patient and each unit within the facility to determine the need for assistive patient handling.  The proposed new rules would require covered healthcare facilities to train healthcare workers to use safe patient handling equipment, and to establish procedures for injury reporting, investigation, analysis and recordkeeping.  Covered healthcare facilities that violate the provisions of the new rules would be subject to penalties.

         The notices of proposal appear in the January 3, 2011, issue of the New Jersey Register. LexisNexis® provides free on-line public access to the New Jersey Administrative Code and the New Jersey Register at http://lexisnexis.com/njoal.

         The public has until March 4, 2011, to comment on the proposals.  Persons wishing to comment on the proposals must submit their comments in writing to Ruth Charbonneau, Director, Office of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, PO Box 360, Trenton, NJ 08625.  Written comments on the proposals must be postmarked on or before March 4, 2011, which is the close of the 60-day public comment period for the proposals.