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Detailed Needs and Requirements: General Nursing Unit
6. Medication Room
A space for the storage and preparation of medications should be
provided. The nature of this space should be determined by the type
of medication supply and distribution system to be used. Space needs
vary from a separate room with sink, countertop work space and
refrigerated, locked, and open storage space, to a small area in
nurses' station for a cart used for delivery and dispensing of
medications. In every case, medications should be secure from
patients, visitors, and unauthorized personnel.
7. Nourishment Kitchen
A nourishment kitchen maybe required on the unit for storage and
preparation of patient snacks, e.g. coffee, fruit juices, etc.
8. Support Areas
Support areas should include: clean and soiled utility rooms, clean
and soiled linen holding, a housekeeping aids closet, equipment
storage, and stretcher and wheelchair storage space.
9. Employees' Lockers
Employees' lockers and lounge space may be centralized; however,
there may be staff morale and utilization benefits in locating these near
the nursing units. Currently, decentralized lockers for the nursing staff
appear to be particularly desirable; in the future, however, all employee
lockers may be so situated.
10. Laboratory
A small laboratory may be provided on or adjacent to each unit for
doing routine determinations. This lab should be equipped with work
benches, a sink, natural gas, vacuum, minimal reagent storage, and, in
some cases, a fume hood.
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