1224.32.5 Newborn/Well Baby Nurseries

Infants shall be housed in nurseries that comply with the standards below. All nurseries shall be immediately accessible to the postpartum unit and obstetrical facilities. The nurseries shall be located and arranged to preclude the need for unrelated pedestrian traffic. No nursery shall open directly onto another nursery. Each nursery shall contain the following:

At least one handwashing fixture for each six infant bassinets.

Storage for linens and infant supplies at each nursery room.

A consultation/demonstration/breast feeding or pump room shall be provided in a location that is readily accessible to the nursery. Provisions shall be made, either within the room or immediately accessible to the room, for a sink, counter, refrigeration and freezing, storage for pump and attachments, and educational materials. This area may be shared between units.

Each nursery shall be served by a connecting workroom. The workroom shall contain gowning facilities at the entrance for staff and housekeeping personnel, work counter, refrigerator, storage for supplies, and a handwashing fixture. One workroom may serve more than one nursery room provided that required services are convenient to each. Adequate provision shall be made for storage of emergency cart(s) and equipment out of traffic and for the sanitary storage and disposal of soiled waste.

A housekeeping room shall be provided for the exclusive use of the nursery unit. It shall be directly accessible from the unit.

Charting facilities shall have linear surface space to ensure that staff and physicians may chart and have simultaneous access to information and communication systems.

Each newborn nursery room shall contain no more than 16 infant stations. Nurseries shall provide a minimum of 25 square feet (2.32 m²) of floor area per bassinet, with at least 3 feet (914 mm) between bassinets and at least 6 inches (152 mm) from a wall.