Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A. An
ABU shall submit, meet, and obtain approval for facility plan review from the
Office of State Fire Marshall prior to construction.
1. An ABU shall:
a. consist of a minimum of two birthing rooms
and one examination room;
b. be
located to ensure privacy;
c. be
located out of the path of unrelated traffic; and
d. be under the direct supervision of the
unit staff.
2. Birthing
rooms shall:
a. be single
occupancy;
b. have a minimum clear
floor area of 200 square feet, including the newborn care area and a minimum
clear dimension of 12 feet;
c. have
an outside window;
d. have windows
or doors within a normal sightline that would permit observation into the room
and shall be arranged or draped as necessary for mother and newborn
privacy;
e. have a hands-free
hand-washing station; and
f. have
direct access to a private bathroom that includes a:
i. hand-washing station;
ii. toilet; and
iii. shower or tub.
B. The newborn care
area shall be a separately located area within the birthing room.
C. The reception and administration area
shall be located as to control and monitor traffic flow/access to the
ABU.
D. The staff work area shall:
1. be provided for the ABU staff;
2. have space for counters and storage;
and
3. have convenient access to
hand-washing facilities.
E. Hand-washing stations shall be readily
accessible to families, visitors, and staff.
F. Medication Preparation Location
1. Provisions shall be made for the
distribution of medications from a medicine preparation room or area, from a
self-contained medicine dispensing unit, or by another approved
system.
2. The medication
preparation room or area shall:
a. be under
the visual control of the staff; and
b. contain the following:
i. a work counter;
ii. a hand-washing station;
iii. a lockable refrigerator; and
iv. a locked storage for controlled
drugs.
3.
When a medication preparation room or area is to be used to store
self-contained medication dispensing units, the room shall be designed with
adequate space to prepare medicines with the self-contained medicine-dispensing
units present.
G.
Self-Contained Medication-Dispensing Unit
1.
The location of a self-contained medicine-dispensing unit shall be permitted in
the clean workroom or in an alcove, provided the ABU has adequate security for
medications and adequate lighting to easily identify drugs.
2. The self-contained medicine-dispensing
unit shall provide convenient access to hand-washing stations.
H. Nourishment Area
1. A nourishment area shall have the
following:
a. a sink;
b. a work counter;
c. a refrigerator;
d. storage cabinets;
e. equipment for hot and cold
nourishment;
f. provisions and
space for separate temporary storage of unused and soiled dietary trays not
picked up during meal time; and
g.
immediate accessible hand-washing stations in or near the nourishment
area.
2. Ice-making
equipment shall:
a. be provided for
treatments and nourishment;
b. be
permitted in the clean workroom or the nourishment room; and
c. ice intended for human consumption shall
be provided in the nourishment station and shall be served from self-dispensing
ice-makers.
I. A clean workroom shall be separate from
and have no direct connection with soiled workrooms or soiled holding rooms.
1. If the room is used for preparing care
items for mothers and newborns, it shall contain:
a. a work counter;
b. a hand-washing station; and
c. storage facilities for clean and sterile
supplies and equipment.
2. Storage for hazardous cleaning solutions,
compounds, and substances shall be labeled and kept in an enclosed storage area
or approved cabinet separate from other cleaning materials.
J. A soiled workroom or soiled
holding room shall be separate from and have no direct connection with clean
work rooms or clean supply rooms.
1. A soiled
workroom or soiled holding room shall contain:
a. a clinical sink (or equivalent flushing
rim fixture) and a hand-washing station; and
b. a work counter and space for separate
covered container for soiled linen and a variety of waste types.
2. Omission of the clinical sink
and work counter shall be permitted in rooms used only for temporary holding of
soiled material. If the flushing-rim clinical sink is not provided, the
facilities for cleaning bedpans shall be provided in the mothers' toilet
rooms.
K. Environmental
Services Room. An environmental services room shall be provided for the
exclusive use of the ABU and include:
1. a
service sink or floor receptor; and
2. a space for storage of supplies,
housekeeping equipment, and housekeeping carts.
L. Examination Rooms. An examination room
shall:
1. preserve patient privacy from
outside observation;
2. be located
convenient to nursing the station;
3. have a bathroom immediately accessible
that includes:
a. ventilation with a minimum
of 10 air changes per hour; and
b.
have an exhaust;
4. have
a hand-washing station;
5. have the
following space requirements:
a. a minimum
clear floor area of 80 square feet;
b. a minimum continuous clearance of 2 feet 8
inches at each side of the examination table; and
c. have counter and shelf space;
6. have ventilation with a minimum
of six air changes per hour;
7.
have lighting with fixed and portable features; and
8. have an examination table with access to
at least two duplex receptacles.
M. Support areas provided for staff shall
include:
1. a changing room;
2. a lounge;
3. a bathroom; and
4. securable lockers, closets and cabinet
compartments.
N.
Engineering and maintenance services shall have sufficient space for mechanical
and electrical equipment and for the proper maintenance of equipment.
O. Building Codes and Architectural Details
1. The facility shall meet the business
occupancy provisions of applicable life safety and building codes.
2. Corridors shall have a minimum corridor
width of 5 feet and minimum height of 7 feet 8 inches.
3. Ceilings shall have a minimum height of 7
feet 10 inches with the following exceptions:
a. ceilings heights for storage rooms, toilet
rooms, etc. shall not be less than 7 feet 8 inches; and
b. rooms containing ceiling mounted
equipment/light fixtures shall be of sufficient height to accommodate the
equipment or fixtures and normal movement.
4. Birthing Room Surfaces. Birthing room
surfaces shall have:
a. finishes selected to
facilitate cleaning and to resist strong detergents; and
b. finishes in the dietary area to ensure the
ability to be cleaned and disinfected.
P. Building Systems
1. Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning,
electrical, plumbing and related systems shall meet state and local building
codes.
2. Heating, ventilation and
air-conditioning systems in the environmental services (housekeeping) room
shall be exhausted at a rate consistent with approved infection control
guidelines.
Q.
Electrical Systems
1. Lighting shall:
a. provide both subdued indirect lighting and
special lighting capable of providing at least 70 foot-candles in the delivery
and newborn care area(s); and
b.
have emergency lighting available.
R. Oxygen and vacuum outlets shall be
available.
1. Use of portable equipment shall
be permitted.
S.
Security systems shall be designed for active and passive security systems.
Locking arrangements, security alarms, and monitoring devices shall be placed
not to interfere with the life safety feature necessary to operate and maintain
a healthy and functional environment.
T. Elevators shall be equipped with a cab
with minimum dimensions of 5 feet 8 inches wide by 7 feet 6 inches
deep.
U. Corridors, attics, and
passageways shall be free of storage. Exits shall not be blocked by storage of
furniture or equipment at any time.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
Promulgated in accordance with
R.S.
40:2100-2115.
