N.J. Admin. Code § 13:35-4A.14

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 11, June 3, 2024

Section 13:35-4A.14 - Requirements for anesthetizing locations; safety systems, monitoring devices

(a) An office in which anesthesia services are to be provided shall be equipped with the following safety systems and monitoring devices:

1. A pulse oximeter with appropriate alarms (or an equivalent method of measuring oxygen saturation);

2. A continuous electrocardiograph with paper recorder;

3. Devices for measuring blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate;

4. A defibrillator; and

5. An accepted method of identifying and preventing the interchangeability of gases, whenever gases are used.

(b) Any anesthesia machine or built-in anesthesia system utilized in the administration of general anesthesia in an office shall be equipped with the following:

1. An end-tidal carbon dioxide monitor (capnograph);

2. An in-circuit oxygen analyzer designed to monitor the oxygen concentration within the breathing circuit by displaying the oxygen percent of the total inspiratory mixture;

3. A respirometer (volumeter) measuring exhaled tidal volume;

4. Oxygen failure-protection devices ("fail-safe" system) which have the capacity to announce a reduction in oxygen pressure and, at lower levels of oxygen pressure, to discontinue other gases when the pressure of the supply of oxygen is reduced;

5. A vaporizer exclusion ("interlock") system, which ensures that only one vaporizer, and therefore only a single anesthetic agent, can be actuated on any anesthesia machine at one time;

6. Pressure-compensated anesthesia vaporizers, designed to administer a constant non-pulsatile output, which shall not be placed in the circuit downstream of the oxygen flush valve;

7. Flow meters and controllers, which can accurately gauge concentration of oxygen relative to the anesthetic agent being administered and prevent oxygen mixtures of less than 21 percent from being administered;

8. Alarm systems for high (disconnect), low (subatmospheric), and minimum ventilatory pressures in the breathing circuit for each patient under general anesthesia; and

9. A gas evacuation system.

(c) Anesthesia equipment used in the administration of anesthesia services for the performance of MRI shall be made of nonferrous materials to ensure the quality of the diagnostic studies. Monitoring techniques shall take into consideration the unique characteristics of the magnetic field.

(d) In an office in which anesthesia services are to be provided to infants and children, the required monitoring devices shall be appropriately sized for a pediatric population.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:35-4A.14