South Dakota Administrative Rules
Title 44 - Department of Health
Article 44:69 - Birth centers
Chapter 44:69:04 - Management and administration
Section 44:69:04:07 - Admissions to birth center
The governing body or owner of the birth center shall establish and maintain admission, transfer, and discharge policies, with written evidence to assure the clients admitted to and retained in the birth center are within the licensure classification of the birth center. The birth center may admit and retain, on the orders of a physician or certified nurse midwife, only those clients for whom it can provide care safely and effectively. Before admission of a client, the physician or certified nurse midwife shall complete and document an assessment of a potential client prior to accepting the client for admission and shall only admit a client that has been assessed to have a low-risk pregnancy in accordance with § 44:69:05:05. A birth center client shall be continually assessed to identify if her condition deviates from a low-risk pregnancy at any time during the pregnancy, delivery, or postpartum period. The birth center shall refer or transfer the client to a physician or hospital when the client's pregnancy deviates from the status of low-risk pregnancy.
The birth center practitioner shall document information regarding current medical findings, admitting diagnoses, and written orders for the immediate care of the client.
The client's history and physical examination shall be completed upon admission or no more than 24 hours after admission; or within thirty days prior to admission with documentation of an update of the client's current medical status completed upon admission. The client's history and physical examination shall be completed prior to delivery except in emergency situations, a client's transfer, and the client's discharge. A history and physical examination of the newborn infant shall be completed upon birth and prior to discharge.
General Authority: SDCL 34-12-62(12).
Law Implemented: SDCL 34-12-62(12).
