Nursing Home Design Guide
2006
equipment such as refrigerators,
Individual facilities should match
freezers and ice makers.
resident needs for medical gases with
the quantities and locations of medical
Staff work stations and other locations
gases during equipment planning.
where personal computers (PCs) are
3. Seismic (implications)
used, are typically provided with multiple
receptacles for the PC, monitor, printers,
Where required, earthquake resistant
and other related electrical devices.
design should be used for plumbing and
medical gas systems in accordance with
current codes and standards.
Junction boxes are provided for
equipment requiring a hardwired
electrical connection.
1.3.6 Electrical
1. Illumination
An emergency generator should be
provided as an electrical source for
Lighting should comply with the
power and lighting during an interruption
Illuminating Engineering Society (IES)
of the normal electric supply. Duplex
recommended levels. Natural light
receptacles that are marked or colored
should be maximized and artificial light
should be provided to connect key
should be adequate for residents and
staff.
pieces of equipment to the critical
branch of the emergency power system.
Resident rooms should have as much
3. Security
natural light as possible from the
outside; oversized windows to increase
Security issues include the elopement of
residents, particularly for special
natural light and provide a "healing" view
populations such as residents with
should be considered. General lighting,
dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease.
night lighting, and exam lighting are
Urban and suburban sites with
needed. A reading light should be
elopement issues should study delayed
provided for each resident. Reading
light controls should be readily
egress locking systems, if permitted by
accessible to residents.
the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).
4. Life Safety
A minimum of one night light fixture in
The life safety program should provide a
each resident room should be controlled
at the room entrance. All light controls
reliable system to protect building
occupants, firefighting personnel,
in resident rooms should be inaudible.
building contents, building structure and
2. Power
continuity of building function. The
General purpose duplex receptacles are
intent should be to provide an enhanced
typically provided on each wall of a
level of fire safety by reducing the
room or area. Resident rooms and
probability of injury, loss of life or
toilet/showers should have duplex,
diminution of building function due to a
grounded receptacles.
fire. By limiting the development and
spread of a fire emergency to the area
Dedicated duplex or special receptacles
of origin, the need for total occupant
are provided for selected pieces of
evacuation should be minimized.
Office of Facilities Management
1-8
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