How long must the documentation of the disaster plan review be maintained?

The requirement to maintain documentation of the disaster plan review for 12 months is designed to ensure that nursing care institutions have a consistent and reliable history of their preparedness and response measures. This time frame allows institutions to demonstrate compliance with regulatory standards and provide evidence of regular evaluations and updates to their disaster plans.

Having documentation for this duration allows administrators to assess their disaster preparedness effectiveness and ensure that any lessons learned from drills or actual incidents can be incorporated into future reviews. An annual retention period strikes a balance between ensuring accountability and not overwhelming facilities with excessive documentation length that could impede operational efficiency.

This practice also aligns with commonly accepted standards of care in healthcare settings, where regular review and updates must be a part of the overall quality assurance process. Institutions can adapt their plans based on documented outcomes from the previous year while staying current with any changes in regulations or protocols.