Question

Give details about following

Mrs. Jones was just hired as a new manager in the Emergency Room at Saint Oldster Hospital. It is a new unit and she was told by her Administrator that she must have it completed by October 2015. Create a strategic plan (with the major elements) that Mrs. Jones could present to her VP for approval and share with her employees.

Answer 1

The function of the Emergency Unit is to receive, stabilize, and manage patients (adults and
children) who present with a large variety of urgent and nonurgent conditions whether self or
otherwise referred. The Emergency Unit also provides for the reception and management of
disaster patients as part of the Unit's role within each region.
It is recommended that Hospitals that do not provide an Emergency Service display a
prominent exterior sign at the main entrance stating this and giving the location of the nearest
Hospital with an Emergency Service.

An Emergency Unit may include the following Functional Areas:
ENTRANCE / RECEPTION / TRIAGE:

1. Receiving of patients and visitors and administration
2. Waiting area for patients, relatives and children

PATIENT TREATMENT AREAS:

 Assessment and treatment areas including Resuscitation, Acute Treatment bays/ rooms,

Seclusion Room and Decontamination Facility, Paediatric patient areas, Procedure
Rooms

 Short-Stay Ward/ Emergency Medicine Unit/ Observation Unit;
 Primary Care Area - for patients with low acuity conditions;
 Stepdown Area - for patients awaiting test results, considered safe, but requiring
observation prior to admission or discharge.
STAFF AND SUPPORT AREAS
 Clean and Dirty Utility Rooms
 Store rooms
 Linen
 Waste Holding/ Cleaners rooms
 Staff amenities, administrative and teaching functions
 Ambulance facilities
 Grieving Room.

The main aggregation of clinical staff will be at the Staff Station in the Acute Treatment/
Resuscitation Area. This should be the focus around which the other clinical areas are
grouped. The Entrance/Reception Area is the focus of the initial presentation.

 In addition to standard treatment areas, some departments may require additional,
specifically designed areas to fulfil special roles, such as:
 Management of paediatric patients
 Management of major trauma patients
 Management of mental health patients
 Management of patients following sexual assault
 Extended observation and management of patients
 Undergraduate and postgraduate teaching
 Transport and retrieval services
 Telemedical referral/ consultation service

ENTRANCE AREA

The entrance to the Emergency Unit must be at grade-level, well-marked, illuminated, and
covered. It shall provide direct access from public roads for ambulance and vehicle traffic, with
the entrance and driveway clearly marked. A ramp shall be provided for pedestrian and
wheelchair access.
The entrance to the Emergency Unit shall be paved to allow discharge of patients from cars
and ambulances. Temporary parking should be provided close to the entrance.

WAITING AREA

The Waiting Area should provide sufficient space for waiting patients as well as relatives/
escorts. The area should be open and easily observed from the Triage and Reception areas.
Seating should be comfortable and adequate. Space should be allowed for wheelchairs,
prams, walking aids and patients being assisted. There should be an area where children may
play.
Support facilities, such as television should also be available. Fittings must not provide the
opportunity for self-harm or harm towards staff.
Waiting Areas shall be negatively pressured.
From the Waiting Area there must be access to:
 Triage and Reception Areas
 Toilets

Emergency Unit Generic Schedule of Accommodation
Schedule of Accommodation for an Emergency Unit Levels 1 to 6.
ENTRANCE AREA
ROOM / SPACE Standard Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5/6 Remarks
Component Qty x m2 Qty x m2 Qty x m2 Qty x m2 Qty x m2
ENTRANCE / RECEPTION:

AIRLOCK - ENTRY AIRLE-10-U Shared Shared Shared 1 x 10 1 x 10

RECEPTION REC-E-U Shared Shared Shared 1 x 20 1 x 20 Staff to be able to observe &
control access
WAITING MALE / FEMALE WAIT-10-U Shared Shared 2 x 10 2 x 30 2 x 50 Open, observed from Triage &
WAIT-50-U Reception
WAITING FAMILY WAIT-25-U 1 x 25 1 x 25 1 x 25 1 x 25 1 x 25

PLAY AREA - PAEDIATRIC PLAP-10-U Shared Shared 1 x 10 1 x 10 1 x 10 Adjoining waiting area, or near
paediatric treatment areas
PARENTING ROOM PAR-U Shared Shared Shared 1 x 6 1 x 6 Accessible from waiting areas

BAY – PHONE / VENDING MACHINES BPH-U Shared Shared 1 x 2 1 x 5 1 x 5 Accessible from waiting areas
BVM-3-U Bays may be combined
BAY – WHEELCHAIR PARK BWC-U 1 x 2 1 x 2 1 x 8 1 x 8 1 x 12 Wheelchairs & trolley
BWC-8-U holding
COMMUNICATIONS BASE AMBULANCE 1 x 12

AMBULANCE TRIAGE AMBTR-U 2 x 12

PATIENT BAY – HOLDING PBTR-H-10-U 2 x 10 3 x 10 4 x 10
TRIAGE CUBICLE
MEETING ROOM - 12M2 MEET-12-U 1 x 12 1 x 12 May also be used as
(INTERVIEW) Grieving Room
MEETING ROOM - 9M2 MEET-9-U Shared Shared Shared 1 x 9 1 x 9 For staff to interview/meet with
family & friends of patients
TOILET - PUBLIC WCPU-4-U Shared Shared 2 x 4 4 x 4 4 x 4

TOILET - ACCESSIBLE WCAC-U 1 x 6 1 x 6 1 x 6 1 x 6 1 x 6 May also include facilities for
baby change
SHOWER - DECONTAMINATION SHDEC-U 1 x 8 1 x 8 1 x 8 1 x 8 1 x 8 Check waste water
detention requirements
HOLDING ROOM (BODIES) 1 x 12 1 x 12 1 x 12 Also used as “Brought in
optional optional optional Dead” room
POLICE ROOM OFF-S9-U 1 x 9 1 x 9 1 x 12 1 x 12 1 x 12 Office – single for L1 & 2; r
OFF-2P-U optional optional optional Office –Shared for L3-6
CIRCULATION ALLOWANCE % 30% 30% 30% 30% 30%