R432-101-26. Emergency Services

  (1) Each facility shall provide physician and registered nurse coverage 24 hours per day. Nursing and other allied health professional staff shall be readily available in the hospital. Staff may have collateral duties elsewhere in the hospital, but must be able to respond when needed without adversely affecting patient care or treatment elsewhere in the hospital.

  (2) The facility shall have trained staff to triage emergency care for each patient, staff and visitor, to stabilize the presenting condition, and transfer to an appropriately licensed facility.

  (3) The facility must have an emergency area which includes a treatment room, storage for supplies and equipment, provisions for reception and control of patients, convenient patient toilet room, and communication hookup and access to a poison control center.

  (4) If the hospital offers additional or expanded emergency services, the service must comply with the provisions of the appropriate sections of R432-100-17.

  (5) The hospital shall have protocols for contacting local emergency medical services.