Single-patient rooms offer privacy, infection prevention

By John Tredrea
In an effort to reduce the risk of patients and their visitors spreading infection to fellow patients and to protect their privacy, all the rooms in the new hospital will be single-patient rooms.

 
 “We did that because, first and foremost, it reduces the risk of infection,” said CEO Barry Rabner. “It will also reduce errors in communication. A patient in his or her own room is more likely to speak frankly about their condition than they would be if there were another patient, and perhaps a visitor or two to that patient as well, in the same room.”
 
Another benefit is that, since there will be no second bed in the room, visitors can stay overnight if they wish. 
 
“There’s a couch in each room that opens to a bed that a visitor can use,” Mr. Rabner said. “There’ll be a safe in the room where they can store their valuables. They can order a meal on a TV in the room, and the meal will be delivered in 30 minutes. It will be very easy for family members to visit patients, and that’s important, because research shows this helps healing.”
 
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In many hospitals, patient rooms are mirror images of one another. That’s not the case here. 
 
“All our patient rooms are identical,” Mr Rabner said. “That reduces the possibility of errors. Rooms in the Emergency Department and neo-natal intensive care unit are designed the same way.”
 
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All the bathrooms in patient rooms are off the same wall as the head of the bed. 
 
“That way, a patient who doesn’t wait for assistance to get to the bathroom doesn’t have to cross the room to get to it,” Mr. Rabner said. “There’s a handrail between the bed and the bathroom and a light between the bed and the bathroom. There’s lighting under the bed, also, to make the trip to the bathroom as safe and easy as possible.”
 
He added, “There’s a sink just as you come into the room, so care givers and visitors can wash more easily. This also reduces the risk of infection, as do materials in the floor and curtains.”
 
Each room has a 42-inch plasma television. 
 
“It’s that large so patients will be able to read it easily,” Mr. Rabner said. 
 
In addition to watching television programming, the TV can be used to order meals and contact the hospital librarian. 
 
“And if a visitor comes in with an iPhone or iPad containing photos they’d like to show to the patient, they’ll be able to put all those photos on the television, so the patient can get the best look at them,” he added. “If a doctor comes in with an iPad, which often happens, he or she can access your medical records, X-rays and other information pertinent to your case and show it to you on the television while they discuss it with you.”
 
This TV does even more.
 
“If a nurse administers a painkiller, she puts that information into a computer. Once she puts that information into the computer, the television will ask the patient, every 20 minutes, to rate the amount of pain he or she is experiencing. The nurse will respond if necessary. This system is a good idea, because some patients wait too long before asking for another dosage.”
 
Each room also will have a desk, with wi-fi capability, and a desk light. 
 
“Built into the wall of each room will be a locked ‘nurse server,’” Mr. Rabner said. “It’ll be stocked with drugs, linens, disposables and other items. Most of what the patient in that room is likely to need will be right there.”
 
The server will be loaded in the hallway rather than in the room. 
 
“That reduces the risk of infection and gives the patient more privacy and less noise,” Mr. Rabner said. “Having the staff computer and supplies in each room means our staff will be able to spend more time with the patient than they would otherwise.”