In our last post, we were testing some new techniques and looking closely at ways to make the typical Nursing Unit more efficient. Our first step involved something we are exploring across the board, in many of our current projects: DECONSTRUCTING THE NURSE STATION.

In other words, we have asked ourselves (and our clients) "Why do nurses sit at desks? Is this still a relevant concept or are we simply replicating past necessity with outdated approaches?".

We have concluded that Nurse Stations are not a necessary element in all Nursing Units, anymore. There are plenty of new/mobile tools that make charting and patient documentation much more efficient, freeing up space and saving cost on traditional millwork expenses.

Now that we identified the opportunity to save space and money, the next challenge is how to intelligently use all this extra space.

In this project our focus has been on the patient first and the visitor second...don't worry the staff are also seeing great improvements in how they utilize space and work within the unit. But in this project we have focused heavily on the amenities that make the visitor's wait and stay more comfortable while they provide the companionship necessary to all patients during recovery.