On September 9, 2024, the Agency for Health Care Administration entered orders disposing of the petition for variance filed by St. Joseph’s Hospital, Inc., dba St. Joseph’s Hospital South and advertised in Vol. 50, No. 156 ....

 

AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION

Health Facility and Agency Licensing

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

59A-3.243Nursing Services

The Agency for Health Care Administration hereby gives notice: On September 9, 2024, the Agency for Health Care Administration entered orders disposing of the petition for variance filed by St. Joseph’s Hospital, Inc., dba St. Joseph’s Hospital South and advertised in Vol. 50, No. 156 Florida Administrative Register on August 9, 2024. The Petition was assigned the following case number: 2024010624. The Agency for Health Care Administration issued a final order granting the limited conditional Petition for Variance of paragraph 59A-3.243(4)(c) and subsection (6), F.A.C., which requires a hospital to ensure immediate availability of a registered nurse for bedside care of any patient when needed, and have a minimum of one licensed registered nurse on duty at all times on each nursing unit or similarly titled part of the hospital for rendering patient care services. The Petition for Variance of paragraph 59A-3.243(4)(c) and subsection (6), F.A.C. is granted upon finding that the Petitioner demonstrated that the purpose of the underlying statute will be or has been achieved by other means and that application of the rule to Petitioner would create a substantial hardship or violate principles of fairness.

A copy of the Order or additional information may be obtained by contacting: Richard Shoop, Agency Clerk, Agency for Health Care Administration, 2727 Mahan Drive, Bldg. 3, MS 3, Tallahassee, FL 32308.