![]() ![]() Additionally, balancing location with the creation of on-stage and off-stage areas is critical, too. However, available space in proximity to patients is generally limited, so optimally siting these rooms can be a challenge, Schilling says. “It’s less about allocated square footage per person and more about the way in which spaces are organized, and where and how they can be strategically located within the facility to maximize flexibility and add value,” BaRoss agrees.Īs for location of break rooms, convenient access from work areas is important. Haley Driscoll, director of healthcare interior design at Francis Cauffman (Philadelphia), says that comfortable staff space can be created with as a little as 80 square feet. ![]() While the Facility Guidelines Institute’s Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospital and Outpatient Facilities recommends allocating a minimum of 100 square feet for staff lounges and areas of respite. Today, though, staff real estate is often considered during the programmatic phase of development. “Staff was left to steal or borrow from other program spaces to accommodate needs for respite, breaks, and education,” says Bob Schilling, senior principal at Champlin Architecture (Cincinnati). Historically, the design of staff spaces came as an afterthought, with dedicated areas often carved out of windowless corners. “Reducing stress and fatigue, and providing ergonomically supportive spaces, are now top-level goals,” confirms Carolyn BaRoss, design principal and firmwide healthcare interior design director for Perkins+Will (New York). “It’s in healthcare organizations’ best interest to have happy and healthy staff who enjoy their workplace and are as effective as possible in it.” The trend has translated to a number of design demands, from break rooms that look more like business-class lounges to nurses’ stations designed to support an optimal work environment. Rather, providing a comfortable setting for workers has become a priority that’s made its way to the top of ownership’s priority lists, all in an effort to punch up staff productivity as well as recruitment and retention. The days of healthcare staff locker rooms decked out with mismatched chairs and rickety tables are long gone. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |