Random Question

[NurseEnvision]

Random Question: What is the reason why most hospitals have their surgical unit on the 2nd floor, Labor and Delivery on the 3rd floor, Medical-Surgical Unit on the 4th floor, Telemetry Unit on the 5th floor and Orthopedic on the 6th floor?

[NurseCard, ADN]

No clue. None of the hospitals that I have worked in, were set up in this way.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Never been in a hospital set up this way.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

Surgical areas are usually placed close to the OR, and typically OR is on a lower level for easy access from ED. Other than that...I've never seen anything set up that way.

[Cat365]

I know that L&D as well as peds and NICU are often on upper levels for security. It's easier to isolate the units and limit access. ER is on the ground floor for the obvious reason of ambulance bays and increased access but other than that I've never seen any consistent rhyme or reason to hospital organization. Even within the same company.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Random Question: What is the reason why most hospitals have their surgical unit on the 2nd floor,

No idea, but that's where my OR is

Labor and Delivery on the 3rd floor

Not here, it's a completely separate building

Medical-Surgical Unit on the 4th floor,

Er, no, med/surg is on the 3rd, 6th, 7th, and 8th floors

Telemetry Unit on the 5th floor

well, we have 2 on the 5th and another on the 3rd.

and Orthopedic on the 6th floor?

Nope, 4th

Not even with all of my clinicals in a variety of hospitals was I in one with this setup.

[klone, MSN, RN]

At the hospitals I've worked at, L&D has been on the 2nd floor, 5th floor, and 6th floor. Always adjacent to OR unless the unit has a dedicated OR.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

At the hospitals I've worked at, L&D has been on the 2nd floor, 5th floor, and 6th floor. Always adjacent to OR unless the unit has a dedicated OR.

I was going to add this as well...our L&D had a dedicated OR but I imagine in other places it would need to be as you've said here. Additionally, NICU, postpartum and peds tend to be in the same kind of area.

Likewise, stepdown units were usually closer to ICUs as those patients are at higher risk for being moved there emergently.

Now, in my old hospital, all of the medical floors were right in a row on one story, and the surgical floors were all in a row. This all makes sense but I think which floor is picked doesn't really matter.

[Cat365]

So we have determined there are common themes dictated by logic but once again hospitals are not the same. Which makes sense when you consider that hospitals come in all shapes, sizes, and architectural structure.

[/username, BSN, RN]

Random Question: What is the reason why most hospitals have their surgical unit on the 2nd floor, Labor and Delivery on the 3rd floor, Medical-Surgical Unit on the 4th floor, Telemetry Unit on the 5th floor and Orthopedic on the 6th floor?

I've worked in many hospitals, and have not been in one that is set up like this.... Hospital design and layout is not universal, even in the same health system....

[bsbcromero]

This is the way our hospital is set up also. i don't know the answer to that question but I'm going to guess it has to do with the evacuation plan. The levels seem to correlate with levels of acuity. seems ligit..lets go with that.:)

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Random Question: What is the reason why most hospitals have their surgical unit on the 2nd floor, Labor and Delivery on the 3rd floor, Medical-Surgical Unit on the 4th floor, Telemetry Unit on the 5th floor and Orthopedic on the 6th floor?

Random Answer: 42.

Seriously though, I don't think there's any set way hospitals have to be set up. I imagine that they would group certain areas close to each other (i.e., the SICU and PACU are probably best if close to the OR). But what floors the units have to be on is inconsequential.

I would also imagine that hospitals managed under the same healthcare organization might have similar layouts in their facilities.