§ 139.12. Neonatal care units.
(a) Hospitals with maternity services shall provide neonatal care units with areas for neonate recovery, observation and isolation and provisions or arrangements for the care of high-risk infants in a neonatal intensive care unit either at the facility of birth or at a transfer site. Space allocation and total number of bassinets shall be consistent with the Guidelines.
(b) There should be an isolation area for the reception and care of infants exposed to potential sources of infection and infants suspected of or having a communicable disease. Infants may be housed and nursed in the isolation area pending diagnosis, disposition or completion of treatment. This isolation area should be served by nursing personnel and shall meet the standards established in the Guidelines for this type of care.
(c) A neonatal intensive care unit is one which is specifically equipped and staffed for the care and treatment of high-risk infants and those otherwise in need of intensive care. The neonatal intensive care unit shall meet the standards established in the Guidelines for this type of care. If such a service is not provided at the facility of birth, arrangements shall be made with an existing neonatal intensive care unit in the area of appropriate referral. The judgment of the attending physician and the policies of the hospital’s neonatal services department shall determine the need for consultation with and referral to the hospital with an existing neonatal intensive care unit. The term ‘‘high risk infant’’ means any infant who, on the basis of socioeconomic, genetic or patho-physiologic history prior to delivery or on the basis of findings in the neonate period, manifests or is likely to manifest persistent and significant signs of distress. This may include:
(1) An infant with a birth weight below 2,000 grams or of less than 34 weeks gestation and any other low birth weight or premature infant who shows any abnormal signs.
(2) An infant showing persistent and significant signs of illness. This includes those with respiratory distress, congenital anomalies, tumors, jaundice, seizures, infections, metabolic distress or other conditions which pose an immediate threat to neonatal survival.
(3) An infant with serious feeding difficulties, excessive lethargy or instability of body temperature.
(4) An infant whose mother is drug addicted or habituated, diabetic, toxemic, isoimmunized, or having any other illness or condition which may affect the fetus.
(5) An infant requiring major surgical procedures.
Authority The provisions of this § 139.12 issued under 67 Pa.C.S. § § 6101—6104; and Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1973 (71 P. S. § 755-2).
Source The provisions of this § 139.12 amended September 19, 1980, effective September 20, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 3761. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (37905).
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