The Florida Senate

The performance of pregnancy termination procedures only by a licensed physician.

The making, protection, and preservation of patient records, which shall be treated as medical records under chapter 458.

Adequate private space that is specifically designated for interviewing, counseling, and medical evaluations.

Dressing rooms for staff and patients.

Appropriate lavatory areas.

Areas for preprocedure hand washing.

Private procedure rooms.

Adequate lighting and ventilation for abortion procedures.

Surgical or gynecological examination tables and other fixed equipment.

Postprocedure recovery rooms that are equipped to meet the patients’ needs.

Emergency exits to accommodate a stretcher or gurney.

Areas for cleaning and sterilizing instruments.

Adequate areas for the secure storage of medical records and necessary equipment and supplies.

The display in the abortion clinic, in a place that is conspicuous to all patients, of the clinic’s current license issued by the agency.

Prescribe required clean and sterilized equipment and supplies, including medications, required for the conduct, in an appropriate fashion, of any abortion procedure that the medical staff of the clinic anticipates performing and for monitoring the progress of each patient throughout the procedure and recovery period.

Prescribe required equipment, supplies, and medications that shall be available and ready for immediate use in an emergency and requirements for written protocols and procedures to be followed by staff in an emergency, such as the loss of electrical power.

Prescribe equipment and supplies for required laboratory tests and requirements for protocols to calibrate and maintain laboratory equipment or equipment operated by clinic staff at the abortion clinic.

Require ultrasound equipment.

Require that all equipment is safe for the patient and the staff, meets applicable federal standards, and is checked annually to ensure safety and appropriate calibration.

The abortion clinic designate a medical director who is licensed to practice medicine in this state and who has admitting privileges at a licensed hospital in this state or has a transfer agreement with a licensed hospital within reasonable proximity of the clinic.

If a physician is not present after an abortion is performed, a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or physician assistant shall be present and remain at the clinic to provide postoperative monitoring and care until the patient is discharged.

Surgical assistants receive training in counseling, patient advocacy, and the specific responsibilities associated with the services the surgical assistants provide.

Volunteers receive training in the specific responsibilities associated with the services the volunteers provide, including counseling and patient advocacy as provided in the rules adopted by the director for different types of volunteers based on their responsibilities.

A medical history including reported allergies to medications, antiseptic solutions, or latex; past surgeries; and an obstetric and gynecological history.

A physical examination, including a bimanual examination estimating uterine size and palpation of the adnexa.

The appropriate laboratory tests, including:

An ultrasound evaluation for all patients who elect to have an abortion after the first trimester. The rules shall require that if a person who is not a physician performs an ultrasound examination, that person shall have documented evidence that he or she has completed a course in the operation of ultrasound equipment as prescribed in rule. The physician, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or physician assistant shall review, at the request of the patient, the ultrasound evaluation results, including an estimate of the probable gestational age of the fetus, with the patient before the abortion procedure is performed.

That the physician is responsible for estimating the gestational age of the fetus based on the ultrasound examination and obstetric standards in keeping with established standards of care regarding the estimation of fetal age as defined in rule and shall write the estimate in the patient’s medical history. The physician shall keep original prints of each ultrasound examination of a patient in the patient’s medical history file.

That a physician, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or physician assistant is available to all patients throughout the abortion procedure.

Standards for the safe conduct of abortion procedures that conform to obstetric standards in keeping with established standards of care regarding the estimation of fetal age as defined in rule.

Appropriate use of general and local anesthesia, analgesia, and sedation if ordered by the physician.

Appropriate precautions, such as the establishment of intravenous access at least for patients undergoing post-first trimester abortions.

Appropriate monitoring of the vital signs and other defined signs and markers of the patient’s status throughout the abortion procedure and during the recovery period until the patient’s condition is deemed to be stable in the recovery room.

Postprocedure recovery rooms are supervised and staffed to meet the patients’ needs.

Immediate postprocedure care consists of observation in a supervised recovery room for as long as the patient’s condition warrants.

The clinic arranges hospitalization if any complication beyond the medical capability of the staff occurs or is suspected.

A registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or physician assistant who is trained in the management of the recovery area and is capable of providing basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation and related emergency procedures remains on the premises of the abortion clinic until all patients are discharged.

A physician shall sign the discharge order and be readily accessible and available until the last patient is discharged to facilitate the transfer of emergency cases if hospitalization of the patient or viable fetus is necessary.

A physician discusses Rho(D) immune globulin with each patient for whom it is indicated and ensures that it is offered to the patient in the immediate postoperative period or that it will be available to her within 72 hours after completion of the abortion procedure. If the patient refuses the Rho(D) immune globulin, a refusal form approved by the agency shall be signed by the patient and a witness and included in the medical record.

Written instructions with regard to postabortion coitus, signs of possible problems, and general aftercare are given to each patient. Each patient shall have specific written instructions regarding access to medical care for complications, including a telephone number to call for medical emergencies.

There is a specified minimum length of time that a patient remains in the recovery room by type of abortion procedure and duration of gestation.

The physician ensures that a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or physician assistant from the abortion clinic makes a good faith effort to contact the patient by telephone, with the patient’s consent, within 24 hours after surgery to assess the patient’s recovery.

Equipment and services are readily accessible to provide appropriate emergency resuscitative and life support procedures pending the transfer of the patient or viable fetus to the hospital.

A postabortion medical visit that includes a medical examination and a review of the results of all laboratory tests is offered.

A urine pregnancy test is obtained at the time of the followup visit to rule out continuing pregnancy.

If a continuing pregnancy is suspected, the patient shall be evaluated and a physician who performs abortions shall be consulted.

The abortion clinic records each incident that results in serious injury to a patient or a viable fetus at an abortion clinic and shall report an incident in writing to the agency within 10 days after the incident occurs. For the purposes of this paragraph, “serious injury” means an injury that occurs at an abortion clinic and that creates a serious risk of substantial impairment of a major bodily organ.

If a patient’s death occurs, other than a fetal death properly reported pursuant to law, the abortion clinic reports it to the department not later than the next department workday.