Nurse Staffing Requirements in South Carolina

Hospitals are not the only facilities that require nursing staffs. In South Carolina, the requirements for nurse staffing varies depending on the institution. Nursing homes and adult day health centers also must have nursing staffs and have their own requirements to ensure that the needs of their patients are met.

Hospital Nursing Staffs

• South Carolina hospitals are required to employ adequate numbers of nurses to provide all patients with necessary care. A licensed registered professional nurse must be in charge of the nursing staff of a South Carolina hospital. When that nurse is not on duty, another registered professional nurse must be designated to act in her stead. Areas such as pediatrics, surgery, emergency services and intensive care units all require adequate staffing with registered professional nurses to ensure that patients receive the necessary levels of care. Nurses should be employed in the areas in which they are trained. Any special duty nurses employed by a hospital are subject to the rules of the facility and must report to nursing supervisors of the departments in which they are working.

Adult Day Health Care Nursing Staffs

• Adult day health care centers in South Carolina are required to offer nonbillable nursing services as a part of their daily rates. The number of clients who attend an ADHC center determines the amount of time a registered nurse must be present. When fewer than 36 clients are on-site, the ADHC center must have one registered nurse at the facility for two to five hours a day. A second registered nurse or licensed practical nurse must be on staff for a minimum of five hours if 36 to 60 clients attend the center. At most, an ADHC center is required to have four registered or licensed practical nurses on staff at any one time for at least five hours, regardless of the number of clients.

Nursing Home Nursing Staffs

• South Carolina nursing homes must have a registered nurse acting as the full-time Director of Nursing. The number of patients who reside in the facility determines the exact number of registered, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses who must be on staff. At minimum, a nursing home is required to have one registered nurse present or on call whenever patients are at the facility. Nonlicensed nursing staff provide the necessary nursing care to patients during three separate shifts. During the first shift, there must be a ratio of one nonregistered nurse for every nine patients. The ratio changes to one to 13 for the second shift and one to 22 for the third shift.