Nurse Station Research Articles

Nurse station console

Nurse station console

A microcomputer nursing workstation.

This paper describes the early development and implementation of a microcomputer-based nursing work station at Sinai Hospital of Detroit. The system was designed by a multidisciplinary team of nurses, doctors, programmers and other hospital personnel. The software is designed to: (1) facilitate effective communication between health professionals; (2) encourage data-based nursing decision-making; (3) standardize nursing care documentation; and, (4) decrease the time nurses spend on clerical functions. Future plans for evaluation and expansion of the system are described.

Student visitation—An Aid to Hospital Pharmacy Recruitment

As part of a long range program to interest students in and attract graduates to hospital pharmacy, the Central Ohio Society of Hospital Pharmacists organized a student visitation program. The program includes a tour of three hospitals where pharmacy activities are explained and demonstrated. Other hospital areas included on the scheduled Visit are the emergency room, a nursing station and occasionally radiology. A question and answer period follows the tour. The evening program features a dinner with a guest speaker and two door prizes; members of the local Society also attend to hear the speaker and to meet the students informally. Through the cooperation of the hospitals which sponsor the dinner and print the formal programs, and the pharmaceutical manufacturer or wholesaler who assumes the expenses of the speaker, the program is accomplished at a cost of less than S75.00 to the Society. There have been no follow-up surveys to determine the precise extent of interest or influence generated by the program; however, it is felt that the students, the College and hospitals have benefited.

Acoustical Design Goals for Hospitals

To achieve NC30 levels in hospital bedrooms and NC35 levels at nurses stations (as recommended in our final report) requires considerable care in the planning and selection of hospital equipment in all areas of the hospital. (Wall TL is not a problem.) This paper presents a schedule of maximum sound levels for hospital equipment according to equipment location and room absorption. Two limits are provided, the first making use of sound pressure levels, the second stated in terms of maximum permissible sound power levels. The sound pressure level method is to be dropped at a future date. Specifications also have been drawn with regard to vibration isolation based on the NC30 and NC35 curves and, finally, damping specifications for all sheet metal units including sinks, cabinets, and carts. Doors are not included since they are seldom closed. (This paper is based on the report Noise in Hospitals. This work was supported by the U. S. Public Health Service.)