Providers, hospitals, and anyone knowing the condition exists must immediately report cases of ophthalmia neonatorum (ON). The report must be signed by the parent or guardian.
Any physician, midwife, nurse, obstetric center or hospital of any nature, parent, relative or person attending or assisting in any way any infant, or the mother of any infant, at childbirth, or any time within 2 weeks after childbirth, knowing the condition defined in NRS 442.030 to exist
"shall immediately report"
Report such fact in writing to the local health officer of the county, city or other political subdivision within which the infant or the mother of any infant may reside.
NRS 442.110 Penalty. Any physician, midwife, nurse, manager or person in charge of an obstetric center or hospital, parent, relative or person attending upon or assisting at the birth of an infant who violates any of the provisions of NRS 442.030 to 442.100, inclusive, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $250.
[8:230:1921; NCL § 5297] — (NRS A 1967, 579; 1977, 960; 1979, 1470; 1999, 3511)
NRS 442.040 Report of existence of ophthalmia neonatorum to be made to local health officer; duties of health officer.
1. Any physician, midwife, nurse, obstetric center or hospital of any nature, parent, relative or person attending or assisting in any way any infant, or the mother of any infant, at childbirth, or any time within 2 weeks after childbirth, knowing the condition defined in NRS 442.030 to exist, shall immediately report such fact in writing to the local health officer of the county, city or other political subdivision within which the infant or the mother of any infant may reside.
2. Midwives shall immediately report conditions to some qualified practitioner of medicine and thereupon withdraw from the case except as they may act under the physician’s instructions.
3. On receipt of such report, the health officer, or the physician notified by a midwife, shall immediately give to the parents or persons having charge of such infant a warning of the dangers to the eye or eyes of the infant, and shall, for indigent cases, provide the necessary treatment at the expense of the county, city or other political subdivision.
[2:230:1921; NCL § 5291] — (NRS A 1977, 960; 1999, 3511)
NAC 442.050 Duties of nurse in charge or person legally responsible for registering birth of child; completion of newborn screening collection form required when blood sample not taken. (NRS 442.008)
1. The nurse in charge or the person legally responsible for registering the birth of the child shall:
(a) Determine that a blood sample has been properly drawn, executed and placed in a newborn screening test kit obtained pursuant to NAC 442.030 before an infant is discharged from the hospital.
(b) Ensure that the blood sample is mailed within 24 hours after it is drawn.
(c) Record on the infant’s medical chart the fact that the sample was taken and the date it was taken.
(d) Ensure that the report required by NRS 442.040 is completed and signed by the parent or guardian.
2. A hospital or obstetric center shall complete a newborn screening collection form obtained from the State Public Health Laboratory if a blood sample is not taken from an infant before his or her discharge from the hospital or obstetric center, unless the infant is transferred to a hospital that provides a higher level of neonatal care. The hospital or obstetric center shall send the newborn screening collection form indicating that a blood sample was not taken from an infant to the State Public Health Laboratory within 2 working days after the infant is discharged from the hospital or obstetric center.
[Bd. of Health, Metabolic Error Screening of Newborns Reg. §§ 4.1 & 4.2, eff. 12-27-77] — (NAC A 10-23-87; 10-10-90; R033-16, 11-2-2016)
P39.1 is a billable ICD code used to specify a diagnosis of neonatal conjunctivitis and dacryocystitis.
A54.31 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis applicable to Ophthalmia Neonatorum due to gonococcus.
NRS 442.030 “Inflammation of the eyes of the newborn” defined. Any inflammation, swelling or unusual redness in either one or both eyes of an infant, either apart from, or together with, any unnatural discharge from the eye or eyes of such infant, independent of the nature of the infection, if any, occurring at any time within 2 weeks after the birth of such infant, shall be known as “inflammation of the eyes of the newborn” (ophthalmia neonatorum).
