Visitations at Hill Country Nursing and Rehab to resume soon

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) last week announced limited visitation rules for nursing facilities and long-term care facilities. The HHSC also issued enhanced emergency rules requiring additional actions by nursing facilities to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

“This is a rapidly evolving situation and we are constantly assessing what actions are necessary to keep residents and staff safe in these facilities,” said Phil Wilson, Executive Commissioner, Texas HHSC. “By following these procedures and rules, facilities can more effectively prevent the spread of COVID-19 and help us achieve our shared goal of reuniting residents with their families and friends.”

Hill Country Nursing and Rehab can proceed with limited outdoor visitations in two weeks if there are no additional cases after one staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. One of the conditions provided by HHSC state for limited visitations is that there are no confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in staff in the last 14 days. None of the residents have tested positive.

“The staff have been trained to call before coming to work if they have symptoms. All staff have their temperature checked when they enter, and they are asked a series of questions to ensure that they do not have symptoms and that they have not been in contact with someone who has symptoms,” Cindy Kendall said, Hill Country Nursing and Rehab Administrator. “In addition, residents have their temperature checked and they too are monitored for symptoms at least 3 times in a 24 hour period.” Staff and residents also wear masks in the facility.

The limited visitation rules by the HHSC are as follows:

Nursing Facilities

For the health and safety of facility residents and staff, public visitation is limited to outdoor visits only. Physical contact between residents and visitors is not permitted. Additional conditions a facility must meet to conduct limited outdoor visitation include:

No confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in staff in the last 14 days.

No active positive cases in residents. Any facility previously

Any facility previously experiencing an outbreak that has fully recovered must be adequately staffed and following adequate infection control procedures.

Facility staff are being tested for COVID-19 weekly.

Further guidance on limited nursing facility visitation rules, which include window visits and vehicle parades, will be posted on the HHSC COVID-19 provider web page.

Long-Term Care Facilities (except Nursing Facilities)

Limited indoor and outdoor visitation procedures are allowed. Physical contact between residents and visitors is not permitted. Additional conditions a facility must meet to conduct limited visitation include:

No confirmed COVID-19 positive staff in the last 14 days.

No active positive cases in residents.

Adequate staffing to facilitate visitation in compliance with infection control requirements.

Use of plexiglass as a safety barrier for indoor visitation to prevent spread of COVID-19.

Further guidance on limited indoor and outdoor visitation rules will be posted on the HHSC COVID-19 provider web page.

Emergency Rule Enhancements

Enhanced emergency rules for nursing facilities include:

Each facility must have a COVID-19 response plan that includes designated staff to work with cohorts of residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, and staff should not change designation from one day to another, unless required to maintain adequate staffing for a cohort.

All nursing facilities must screen all residents, staff, and people who come to the facility in accordance with specified criteria, and each resident must be screened at least three times a day for signs or symptoms of COVID-19.

Each facility must have plans for obtaining and maintaining a two-week supply of personal protective equipment and resident recovery plans for continuing care when a resident recovers from COVID-19.

The Texas HHSC continues to investigate all longterm care facilities in the state that report one or more positive case of COVID-19, as well as coordinate closely with local, state, and federal health authorities.