[amytheodd]

Excerpted from : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13908277/

"Private rooms would be standard in new U.S. hospitals under recommendations from an influential architects' group that says building design can help curb infectious diseases and medical errors....
The panel includes doctors, hospital administrators, infection control experts, engineers and architects who voted unanimously to adopt the recommendations....
Woodin said single-patient rooms "reduce the potential" for doctors and nurses to misidentify patients, and decrease chances that sick patients will transmit disease to other patients and staff members....
By improving patient satisfaction and potentially speeding recovery and reducing hospitalization time, private rooms also can help reduce costs, said panel member Joseph Sprague, a Dallas architect.The recommendations for new hospital construction affect patients in medical and surgical units as well as mothers who have just given birth. They don't affect newborn nurseries, psychiatric units or geriatric facilities where some patients do better having roommates..."

How do you feel about this?
How would it affect your workflow?
Would it help you to be sure about patient ID?
Do you think it would help with infection control?
Do you think it would truely reduce costs?
Do you think that geriatric patients always benefit from roommates?

I have my opinions, but I am interested in the consensus.

[SmilingBluEyes]

................and be in compliance with HIPAA!

[emllpn2006]

I personally would feel much better if I ever have to be admitted to a hopital to be in a private room. Who wants to keep their room mate up all night being in and out of the bathroom and listening to and smelling the many things nurses get to see and smell.

[vamedic4]

Originally Posted by amytheodd

Excerpted from : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13908277/

"Private rooms would be standard in new U.S. hospitals under recommendations from an influential architects' group that says building design can help curb infectious diseases and medical errors....
The panel includes doctors, hospital administrators, infection control experts, engineers and architects who voted unanimously to adopt the recommendations....
Woodin said single-patient rooms "reduce the potential" for doctors and nurses to misidentify patients, and decrease chances that sick patients will transmit disease to other patients and staff members....
By improving patient satisfaction and potentially speeding recovery and reducing hospitalization time, private rooms also can help reduce costs, said panel member Joseph Sprague, a Dallas architect.The recommendations for new hospital construction affect patients in medical and surgical units as well as mothers who have just given birth. They don't affect newborn nurseries, psychiatric units or geriatric facilities where some patients do better having roommates..."

How do you feel about this?
How would it affect your workflow?
Would it help you to be sure about patient ID?
Do you think it would help with infection control?
Do you think it would truely reduce costs?
Do you think that geriatric patients always benefit from roommates?

I have my opinions, but I am interested in the consensus.

1. THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. The trick is getting it to be cost effective.
2. Many of the rooms at my hospital are "private" with very few subject to doubling, so it wouldn't truly affect flow.
3. YES, it would definitely help.
4. It COULD reduce cost, but I think perhaps these are "incidental" costs...ie, the cost of a settlement for killing a family member who recieved their roommate's meds. In the long run, sure. Let's just make sure the size of the patient's room is bigger than a cereal box.
5. I don't know much about geri patients (working in peds) but it makes sense that they CAN benefit from a roommate, but certainly not ALWAYS.

On a personal note, one of my family members has been frequently hospitalized, and we always request a private room. Who wants to listen to someone else moan and groan and snore all night??

[Nitengale326]

When our hospital was built in 1997 it was all private rooms. But the local demand for beds increased so fast they had to re-equip the rooms with double everything and squeez in an extra bed and additional furniture. Now we have many unhappy patients and still too few beds.

The kicker is despite all of this... the local agencies are denying the certificate of need for additional beds!

[tridil2000]

Originally Posted by SmilingBluEyes

................and be in compliance with HIPAA!

i once had a pt refuse to discuss anything about their history with a resident bc of lack of privacy!

and after hearing why (long story) i didn't blame her. she was absolutely right.

[SmilingBluEyes]

I had a roomate tell me she was sorry for my loss after I was admitted into a semiprivate room for a s/p open lap and tx of ectopic pregnancy. Now, that was nice of her, but what business of it was it of HERS?! Why is HIPAA only apparently used to beat medical professionals over the head with and not used as INTENDED? That is a hot-button issue for me.

[White Shoes]

I know I am not currently working in the hospital setting, but in our skilled units, I have noticed when a resident transfers from a semi-private to a private room, he/she seems more rested, secure and ultimately does better.

Residents have already lost so much in life... a private room gives them at least one room they can call "their own". I wish our facilities had more of them.

White Shoes

[Geeg]

Please notice how the panel that made the suggestions was without a nurse!!!

[Faeriewand]

As a patient I didn't enjoy being in a private room. (Hospitalized 5 times with 4 babies and one operation) I liked talking with my roomate when I had one. (never discussed medical issues however) When I was in a private room I was all by myself and no one to converse with. I don't talk much when I'm with people I don't know but I do like to be around people. But I think I"m in the minority here. I can see the benefits of a private room however.