Current through February, 2024
(a) If maternity
and obstetrical services are provided by the hospital, maternity patient
bedrooms, labor rooms, and delivery rooms shall be physically separated from
all other sections of the hospital.
(b) Maternity facilities shall not be used
for any other purpose other than maternity-related functions except as follows:
in the interest of proper bed utilization these facilities may be used for
clean surgery or clean gynecology in the event of an emergency.
(c) Maternity suites shall be located to
prevent through traffic, except for emergency exit.
(d) Delivery rooms shall have a minimum of
two hundred fifty square feet.
(e)
Scrub sinks shall be provided for each delivery room on the basis of two sinks
for the first delivery room, and one additional sink for each delivery room
over one. Scrub sinks shall be located outside of delivery rooms.
(f) Each delivery area shall provide a
separate clean-up room separated from the sterilizing facilities.
(g) Well-ventilated or air conditioned labor
rooms shall be provided in conjunction with the delivery rooms.
(h) Birthing rooms:
(1) There shall be specific written
guidelines available for the use of birthing rooms. The guidelines shall at a
minimum include statements about the following:
(A) Prerequisites for use of the birthing
room.
(B) Screening of children and
other participants in the birthing room.
(C) Handling of the newborn infant by
participants.
(D) Special dress
requirements.
(E) Availability of
equipment for medical emergencies.
(F) Infection control measures.
(2) Each room shall be equipped
with a lavatory for handwashing (handwashing sink with wrist blades is
acceptable for scrubbing).
(3) Each
birthing room (labor delivery recovery or labor delivery recovery postpartum)
shall be for single occupancy and have access to adjoining toilet. A shower or
tub shall be accessible postpartum.
(4) Each birthing room (labor delivery
recovery or labor delivery recovery postpartum) shall have a minimum of one
hundred eighty square feet.
(i) Newborn facilities.
(1) The newborn room or rooms, referred to in
this chapter as "nurseries", shall be physically separated from all other
sections of the hospital and shall not be used for any purpose other than for
the care of the newborn.
(2) The
nurseries shall be designed and equipped to maintain infants' optimum body
temperature.
(3) Provision shall be
made in each nursery for resuscitation, administration of oxygen, prevention of
infection, and prevention of accidents.
(4) Each nursery shall be provided with means
for the viewing of the newborns.
(5) No person shall enter the nursery except
those immediately concerned with the care of the newborn.
(6) Nurseries shall provide a minimum of
twenty-four square feet of floor area per bassinet and shall be arranged so as
to maintain at least two feet between bassinets and with bassinets placed no
closer than six inches from the wall. The maximum capacity of each normal
newborn nursery shall be sixteen bassinets.
(7) In addition to the nursery or nurseries,
each unit shall provide for handwashing facilities, space for charting,
examination space (unless a separate examination room is provided), and space
for gowning.
(8) Facilities for
storage and preparation of formula shall be provided.
(j) Hospitals providing a rooming-in program
shall have policies and procedures relating to the nursing care of the
newborn.
