LAC 48:I.9531. Facilities

A. The Levels I and II shall be distinct, separate units within the hospital. There shall be clean and soiled utility rooms, isolation room capabilities, medication and a conference area available on the units. B. Level I units shall be located in the Category 1 facility as defined by the American Academy of Pediatrics. C. The Emergency Department (ED) shall have a separate covered entrance. Two or more areas within the ED shall have the capacity and equipment to resuscitate any pediatric patient with any medical, surgical or traumatic illness within facilities with Level I units. Hospitals with Level II units only need one such area. The emergency room shall be staffed 24 hours a day in facilities with either Level I or Level II units. D. There shall be an operating suite with one room available within 30 minutes and a second room within 45 minutes, 24 hours a day. Hospitals with Level I units shall have the capability of providing cardiopulmonary bypass, pediatric bronchoscopy, and radiography. E. Clinical Laboratories 1. Clinical laboratories shall have microspecimen capability and the capability to perform clotting studies with one-hour turn around. There shall also be the capability to perform: a. complete blood cell count; b. differential count; c. platelet count; d. urinalysis; e. electrolytes; f. blood urea nitrogen; g. creatinine; h. glucose calcium; i. prothrombin time; j. partial thromboplastin time; and k. cerebrospinal fluid cell counts. 2. Preparation of gram stains and bacteriologic cultures shall be available 24 hours per day. Blood gas values shall be available within 15 minutes. Results of drug screening and levels of serum ammonia, serum, and urine osmolarity, phosphorus and magnesium shall be available within three hours for Level I units. F. There shall be a blood bank able to provide all blood components 24 hours a day in both Levels I and II. Cross matching shall allow for transfusions within one hour unless some unusual antibody is encountered. G. Hospitals with Level I units shall have radiology services capable of radiography, fluoroscopy, computerized tomography scanning, ultrasonography, and nuclear scanning angiography. H. Diagnostic cardiac and neurologic studies shall be available to both Levels I and II unit facilities. I. A catheterization laboratory or angiography suite shall either be in the same building with a Level I units or available at another campus location of the hospital where these services are provided. 1. Policies and procedures shall be developed and implemented related to the staffing, transportation of PICU Level I patients requiring cardiac catheterizations at another of the hospital’s campuses. J. Level I units shall have the capability to provide hemodialysis 24 hours a day.