Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Space Planning Criteria (Chapter 286)
Washington, DC 20420
February 2007
1
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
A. This document outlines Space Planning Criteria for Chapter 286: Surgical Service. It
applies to all medical facilities at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
B. The Surgical Service provides facilities (surgical suite) for surgical intervention for
both inpatients and ambulatory care patients.
2
DEFINITIONS
A. Affiliated: An arrangement whereby a school of medicine or optometry agrees to staff
a VA facility with faculty physicians, optometrists, residents and interns / externs. In
return, the VA provides the medical or optometry school with a venue to train new
physicians / optometrists. In this arrangement, the VA retains responsibility for the
care of its patients while the school of medicine or optometry retains responsibility for
all graduate level education and training.
B. Ambulatory Surgery: Surgical procedures that are performed with minimal anesthesia
to allow for patients to return home the same day of the procedure to alleviate need
for overnight care.
C. Anesthesia Staff: Anesthesia is administered by the anesthesia staff, which can
include anesthesiologists, assistants, residents, technicians, and certified nurse
anesthetists.
D. Charge Nurse: The charge nurse supervises all activities within the individual
operating rooms.
E. Clean Core: Operating rooms are grouped around a clean core. The Clean Core is
used for sterile supply storage. This is the cleanest area of the entire Operating Suite.
Only staff wearing appropriate surgical attire should be allowed in the Clean Core.
F. Case Carts: Case Carts are used to bring sterile materials and instruments to the
Operating Room.
G. Concept of Operations: A user-developed guide to the functional operation of the VA
healthcare facility. It defines the function of the facility and the scope of medical or
optometric services to be provided in the new or remodeled space.
H. Departmental Net to Gross (DNTG) Conversion Factor: A parameter, determined by
the VA for each space planning criteria chapter, used to convert the programmed Net
Square Foot (NSF) area to the Department Gross Square Foot (DGSF) area. The
DNTG Departmental Conversion Factor for Surgical Service is 1.60.
I.
Fluoroscopy: Utilization of radiographic equipment within the operating room,
whether it is a ceiling mounted fluoroscopy unit or a portable "C" arm.
Surgical Service (Chapter 286): Page 2 of 20
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