Decentralized nursing units may hurt collaboration

Decentralized nursing unit put nurses closer to the patients and can eliminate visibility issues


A recent study has suggested that decentralized nursing units, designed to put nurses closer to the patients and can eliminate visibility issues, can hurt collaboration, according to an article on the Health Facilities Management website.

Research by the Institute for Health + Wellness Design at the University of Kansas (KU) School of Architecture, Design & Planning is looking at how hospital units are actually was running and if decentralized stations being used as anticipated.

Study authors have hypothesized that although decentralized units place nurses closer to patients, they may unintentionally isolate them from other staff, making it harder for nurses to get questions answered and delaying care as a result, the article said. 

“One of the comments I’ve heard during interviews with the nurses is that ‘we’re human. We’re not machines,’” one researcher sais in the article. “They need that human contact. They need to talk with their peers, even if it’s just to vent. It’s necessary for a better working experience.”

Read the article.

 

 



February 17, 2017


Topic Area: Architecture


Recent Posts

How Efficiency Checklists Help Hospitals Save Energy, Water and Money

Keith Edgerton explains how a simple, systematic tool can help healthcare facilities identify savings, support sustainability goals and reinvest in long-term decarbonization.


Intermountain Healthcare Receives $50M Gift for Standalone Children's Hospital

To honor the family's gift, Intermountain Health will name the inpatient tower the Larry & Heidi Canarelli Inpatient Tower.


Arrowhead Regional Medical Center Reports Data Breach via Third Party

There is currently no evidence that the information has been viewed by any third-party or of any misuse of the impacted information as a result of this incident.


Safety Synergy: Infection Prevention That Protects Patients and Workers

For environmental services managers, the central message is that cleaning and disinfection should be governed through an integrated systems approach.


Prefabricated Wall Panels Speed UCF Lake Nona Medical Center Construction

StoPanel systems helped the project meet Florida’s wind-load and impact requirements while supporting a fast, safe exterior installation.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.