(a) Patient observation and recovery areas shall be provided in sufficient numbers to accommodate the patient load with a planned minimum of a three (3) hour recovery period and longer when necessary for individual patients. They shall be comfortably furnished and adequately equipped for the patient's safe post-operative observation and recovery.
(b) A facility shall provide at least one (1) recovery room equipped for the use by and observation of patients requiring recumbent care post-surgically. A minimum of one (1) hospital-type bed or wheeled recovery room stretcher shall be provided for each ten (10) post-surgical patients to be cared for at any one time.
(c) Single bed/stretcher recovery rooms shall provide a minimum of one hundred (100) square feet of usable floor space. Multiple bed/stretcher recovery rooms shall provide a minimum of eighty (80) square feet floor space per bed or stretcher.
(d) Patient observation and recovery rooms shall have a minimum door width of three (3) feet.
(e) A recovery room shall be designed to provide a minimum of three (3) feet between beds or stretchers and four (4) feet of clearance at the foot of the bed or stretcher.
(f) Comfortably furnished congregate rooms equipped with either reclining or lounge type chair or cots may be provided for the post-surgical observation of patients not needing bed or stretcher accommodations. Each congregate type room shall provide a minimum of fifty (50) square feet of usable floor space for each patient to be accommodated. A congregate room shall not contain accommodations for more than twelve (12) patients.
(g) A toilet and lavatory shall be provided for each six (6) recovery patients as a minimum. One or more bathing facilities are recommended.
(h) Corridors used for patient entry, egress and for surgical care areas in a facility shall have a minimum width of six (6) feet.
(i) The numerical capacity of a facility shall be determined by the number of observation and recovery units provided. The post-surgical occupancy of a facility shall not exceed the determined capacity.