520
Detailed Needs and Requirements: General Nursing Unit
Visual and acoustic privacy should be provided for a ward clerk who is
normally located within or adjacent to the nurses' station. Space for
nurse and physician charting functions, patient records and clerical
supplies and communication and monitoring equipment should also be
included in the nurses' station. Provision for future additional patient
monitoring or communication equipment and a computer terminal is
desirable.
5. Examination/Treatment Room
The requirements for this space vary somewhat between medical,
surgical, neurological and orthopedic nursing units.
a. Medical and neurological units. In these units the exam/treatment
room is primarily used for examinations rather than treatment. It
should be equipped with an examination table, a portable
examination light, a sink for hand-washing, countertop work space,
and facilities for equipment storage and x-ray viewing. Neurology
requires sufficient room to allow work space on four sides of a
stretcher. The room must be capable of being darkened.
b. Surgical units. The requirements of an exam/treatment room in
surgical nursing units are similar to those in medical units except
that the room is used more frequently for treatment activities, e.g.
dressing changes and suture removal. There may, therefore, be a
greater need for supply and equipment storage and for countertop
work space.
c. Orthopedic units. The exam/treatment space in orthopedic units
should be equipped for application and removal of casts. This
requires special sink facilities and additional supply storage. A
radiographic room may also be desirable conjunction with the
exam/treatment room in orthopedic units.
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