§ 483.358 Orders for the use of restraint or seclusion.
(a) Orders for restraint or seclusion must be by a physician, or other licensed practitioner permitted by the State and the facility to order restraint or seclusion and trained in the use of emergency safety interventions. Federal regulations at 42 CFR 441.151 require that inpatient psychiatric services for beneficiaries under age 21 be provided under the direction of a physician.
(b) If the resident's treatment team physician is available, only he or she can order restraint or seclusion.
(c) A physician or other licensed practitioner permitted by the state and the facility to order restraint or seclusion must order the least restrictive emergency safety intervention that is most likely to be effective in resolving the emergency safety situation based on consultation with staff.
(d) If the order for restraint or seclusion is verbal, the verbal order must be received by a registered nurse or other licensed staff such as a licensed practical nurse, while the emergency safety intervention is being initiated by staff or immediately after the emergency safety situation ends. The physician or other licensed practitioner permitted by the state and the facility to order restraint or seclusion must verify the verbal order in a signed written form in the resident's record. The physician or other licensed practitioner permitted by the state and the facility to order restraint or seclusion must be available to staff for consultation, at least by telephone, throughout the period of the emergency safety intervention.