NAC449.9937. Extended recovery units.

     1. An ambulatory surgical center may operate an extended recovery unit.

     2. An extended recovery unit must:

     (a) Be located in an area of the center that is separate from the other operations of the center;

     (b) Provide audio and visual privacy for each patient in the unit;

     (c) Be supervised by at least one physician who is recommended for the position by the members of the medical staff and approved by the governing body;

     (d) Have at least one physician on the premises or immediately available by telephone at all times when there is a patient in the unit;

     (e) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (f), have at least one nurse who is trained in advanced cardiac life support on duty for every two patients in the unit;

     (f) Have at least two nurses who are trained in advanced cardiac life support on duty at all times when there is a patient in the unit; and

     (g) Be equipped with:

          (1) A system for making emergency calls;

          (2) Oxygen;

          (3) A cardiac defibrillator;

          (4) Cardiac monitoring equipment;

          (5) A mobile cart which contains the equipment and supplies specified by the medical staff pursuant to subsection 3 of NAC 449.9902;

          (6) A manual breathing bag;

          (7) Suction equipment; and

          (8) Such other emergency equipment as is needed to provide care to patients in the unit.

     3. A patient must be admitted and discharged from an extended recovery unit only upon the order of the physician of record. If a patient is admitted to the unit, the time he or she remains in the unit for treatment, when added to the time he or she remains in any other area of the ambulatory surgical center for treatment, may not exceed 23 hours and 59 minutes.

     4. The center shall adopt policies and procedures for the extended recovery unit that include, without limitation:

     (a) Clinical criteria for determining a patient’s eligibility for admission into the unit;

     (b) Clinical criteria for determining a patient’s eligibility for being discharged from the unit;

     (c) Procedures for providing emergency services; and

     (d) Procedures for transferring a patient in need of other health care services.

     5. An ambulatory surgical center shall provide food to meet the needs of patients in an extended recovery unit. A patient on a special diet must be served food that conforms to the patient’s prescribed diet. If the food is prepared by the center, the center shall:

     (a) Comply with the applicable provisions of chapter 446 of NRS and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto; and

     (b) Obtain such permits as are necessary from the Division of Public and Behavioral Health to prepare the food.

     (Added to NAC by Bd. of Health by R049-99, eff. 9-27-99; A by R155-10, 12-16-2010; R181-09, 10-4-2013)