North Carolina Administrative Code
Title 10A - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Chapter 13 - NC MEDICAL CARE COMMISSION
Subchapter B - LICENSING OF HOSPITALS
Section .4300 - MATERNAL - NEONATAL SERVICES
Section 13B .4305 - ORGANIZATION OF NEONATAL SERVICES

(1) LEVEL I: Full-term and pre-term neonates that are stable without complications. This may include infants who are small for gestational age or neonates who are large for gestational age.

(2) LEVEL II: Neonates or infants that are stable without complications but require special care and frequent feedings; infants of any weight who no longer require LEVEL III or LEVEL IV neonatal services, but who still require more nursing hours than normal infant. This may include infants who require close observation in a licensed acute care bed.

(3) LEVEL III: Neonates or infants that are high-risk, small or approximately 32 and less than 36 completed weeks of gestational age but otherwise healthy, or sick with a moderate degree of illness that are admitted from within the hospital or transferred from another facility requiring intermediate care services for sick infants, but not requiring intensive care. The beds in this level may serve as a "step-down" unit from Level IV. Level III neonates or infants require less constant nursing care, but care does not exclude respiratory support.

(4) LEVEL IV (Neonatal Intensive Care Services): High-risk, medically unstable, or critically ill neonates under 32 weeks of gestational age, or infants, requiring constant nursing care or supervision that includes continuous cardiopulmonary or respiratory support, complicated surgical procedures, or other intensive supportive interventions.