NAC449.9935. Operating and recovery rooms; endoscopy suite.

     1. The operating and recovery rooms of an ambulatory surgical center must be used exclusively for surgical procedures.

     2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, surgical procedures must be conducted in a class A, B or C operating room in accordance with chapter 9 of the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospital and Health Care Facilities, adopted by reference pursuant to NAC 449.0105.

     3. If an ambulatory surgical center is licensed to perform only endoscopic procedures, such procedures may be conducted in an endoscopy suite in accordance with chapter 9 of the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospital and Health Care Facilities, adopted by reference pursuant to NAC 449.0105.

     4. A registered nurse experienced in surgical procedures shall supervise the operating room.

     5. Only a registered nurse may function as the circulating nurse in the operating room.

     6. Each employee of an ambulatory surgical center who provides medical services and care to a patient must be trained to carry out the medical services and care that the employee will provide.

     7. The operating room must be equipped with:

     (a) A system for making emergency calls;

     (b) Oxygen;

     (c) Mechanical ventilatory assistance equipment, including, without limitation, a manual breathing bag and a ventilator;

     (d) Cardiac monitoring equipment;

     (e) Laryngoscopes and endotracheal and airway tubes in sizes sufficient to meet the needs of the patients of the ambulatory surgical center; and

     (f) Suction equipment.

     8. The recovery room must:

     (a) Meet nationally recognized standards of practice for postanesthesia care, as approved by the governing body, and maintain a copy of those standards at the ambulatory surgical center during all hours of operation and in a location which is accessible to the medical staff;

     (b) Comply with the guidelines for postanesthesia patient classification and staffing recommendations as published in the 2010-2012 Perianesthesia Nursing Standards and Practice Recommendations, which is adopted by reference in subsection 10;

     (c) Be equipped with or have easily accessible a mobile cart which contains the equipment and supplies specified by the medical staff pursuant to subsection 3 of NAC 449.9902 needed to treat a patient with malignant hyperthermia; and

     (d) Be equipped with all other equipment and supplies needed to safely care for patients.

     9. If the operating team consists of persons who are not physicians, a physician must be on the premises and immediately available in case of an emergency. As used in this subsection, “immediately available” means the physician is able to respond rapidly to the emergency.

     10. The 2010-2012 Perianesthesia Nursing Standards and Practice Recommendations, published by the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses is hereby adopted by reference. A copy of the standards may be obtained at a cost of $60 for members and $130 for nonmembers from the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses by mail at 90 Frontage Road, Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08034-1424, by telephone at [phone] or at the Internet address http://www.aspan.org.

     (Added to NAC by Bd. of Health, eff. 12-15-88; A by R049-99, 9-27-99; R077-04, 8-5-2004; R181-09 & R170-12, 10-4-2013)