Family-infant room(s) shall be provided within or immediately adjacent to the NICU that allow(s) families and infants extended private time together.

The room(s) shall have direct, private access to sink, toilet and shower facilities, emergency call and telephone or intercom linkage with the NICU staff, sleeping facilities for at least one parent, and sufficient space for the infant’s bed and equipment. Each room shall also have at least four electrical outlets for use and charging of the family’s electronic devices.

The room(s) can be used for other family support, educational, counseling, or demonstration purposes when unoccupied.

Interpretation:  Access to family-infant room(s) encourages overnight stays by parents and the infant in the NICU. The room(s) should be sufficiently equipped and sized to accommodate the parents, with additional space for a physician, nurse, social worker, chaplain, or other individuals who may need to meet with the parents and baby in private.

For security reasons, transition room(s) should be situated within an area of controlled public access.

The number of electrical, medical gas, and suction outlets specified will be dependent on the function(s) intended for this area.

Sufficient family-infant rooms should be provided to allow those families who wish to room in with their infants the opportunity to do so.  The appropriate number of rooms will depend on each hospital’s practice pattern, the number of single infant rooms with parent sleeping facilities, the availability of other rooms nearby, the size of the region served, and other variables.