1. (1)(a) Each licensee shall designate its capability to provide perinatal, antepartum, labor, delivery, postpartum, and nursery care in accordance with Level I basic, Level II specialty, or Level III sub-specialty or tertiary care.

   1. (b) A qualified member of the hospital staff shall provide administrative, medical and nursing direction, and oversight for perinatal services according to each hospital's designated level of care.
   2. (c) The licensee shall ensure a qualified registered nurse is immediately available 24 hours a day with enough trained competent staff to meet the designated level.
   3. (d) The licensee shall ensure support personnel are available to the perinatal care service according to each hospital's designated level of care.
2. (2) Each licensee shall establish and implement security protocols for perinatal patients.
3. (3) The perinatal department shall include facilities and equipment for antepartum, labor and delivery, nursery, postpartum, and optional birthing rooms.
4. (4) The licensee shall ensure that perinatal areas are located and arranged to avoid non-related traffic to and from other areas.

5. (5)(a) The licensee shall isolate patients with infections or other communicable conditions.

   1. (b) The licensee may not use maternity rooms for patients other than maternity patients.
6. (6) The licensee shall have at least one surgical suite for operative delivery.

7. (7) The licensee shall maintain and make immediately available, equipment and supplies for the parent and newborn, including:

   1. (a) a clock capable of showing seconds;
   2. (b) a device to assess fetal heart rate;
   3. (c) a newborn warming unit with temperature controls that comply with Underwriters' Laboratories requirements. The unit shall have capability for administering oxygen and suctioning;
   4. (d) an adjustable examination light;
   5. (e) emergency medications, intravenous fluids, and related supplies and equipment;
   6. (f) equipment to monitor and maintain the optimum body temperature of the newborn;
   7. (g) furnishings suitable for labor, birth, and recovery;

   8. (h) mechanical suction and bulb suction;

      1. (i) oxygen with flow meters and masks or equivalent; and
   9. (j) resuscitation equipment.
8. (8) The licensee shall maintain a delivery room record keeping system for cross-referencing information with other departments.
9. (9) If birthing rooms are provided, the licensee shall equip them in accordance with this section.

10. (10) The licensee shall ensure that the nursery includes facilities and equipment according to its designated level of care, including an individual bassinet for each infant, with space between bassinets as follows:

    1. (a) Level I Basic: Full Term or Well Baby Nursery: 24 inches between bassinets;
    2. (b) Level II Specialty: Continuous Care Nursery: four feet between bassinets; or
    3. (c) Level III Sub-specialty: Newborn Intensive Care Nursery: four feet between bassinets.

11. (11) The licensee shall ensure the availability of the following equipment and supplies:

    1. (a) a covered soiled-diaper container with removable lining;
    2. (b) a linen hamper with removable bag for soiled linen other than diapers;
    3. (c) a newborn warming unit with temperature controls that comply with Underwriters' Laboratories requirements;
    4. (d) a supply of medication immediately available for emergencies;
    5. (e) a wall thermometer;
    6. (f) an individual thermometer, or one with disposable tips, for each infant;
    7. (g) an oxygen concentration monitoring device;

    8. (h) accurate scales; and

       1. (i) oxygen, oxygen equipment, and suction equipment.
12. (12) The licensee shall maintain temperature between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit in the nursery area.
13. (13) The licensee shall make infant formula storage space available that conforms to the manufacturer's recommendations. Only single-use bottles may be used for newborn feeding.

14. (14) The licensee shall provide a furnished suspect nursery or isolation area that has a separate hand washing facility and equipment and supplies to be used for any infant who:

    1. (a) has a communicable disease;
    2. (b) is delivered of an ill parent infected with a communicable disease;
    3. (c) is delivered outside the hospital; and
    4. (d) is readmitted after discharge from a hospital.

15. (15) The licensee shall:

    1. (a) instill a prophylactic solution in the eyes of the infant within three hours of birth in accordance with Section R386-702-14;
    2. (b) not try to delay the imminent, normal birth of a child;
    3. (c) perform a newborn hearing screening in accordance with Rule R398-2; and
    4. (d) perform disease screening, including phenylketonuria (PKU), in accordance with Section 26B-4-319.

KEY: health care facilities

Date of Last Change: June 5, 2026

Notice of Continuation: August 22, 2025

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 26B-1-202; 26B-2-202; 26B-2-203