Room Organization

[nashvillenurse24]

Hello everyone!

I'm working on a project for my unit to better organize our patient rooms for the RNs in interest not to waste supplies AND make sure RNs have what they need at their fingertips. I'm wondering if any RNs would be willing to share how their patient rooms are organized and stocked with supplies and if anything is extremely helpful/useful to you that you'd like to share.

Thanks a bunch in advance!

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Can't really help with rooms on a patient floor, but I will say this: have everything in the same place in all rooms! That's one of my pet peeves about the OR where I work- you won't find the same item in the same place in any room. Makes it "fun" when working in a room I'm not used to working in. Cuts down on time hunting for supplies but also on stocking supplies.

[melizerd, ASN, RN]

Part of it is that different units have different needs so they are stocked with what they need.

I'm on a med/surg oncology floor with a lot of ports and/or piccs so we have the hub scrub we need outside every room, when I float to ortho they don't have that there because it's not something they need daily.

I do agree that on a unit just having everything in the same place in each room is a HUGE thing. We have a drawer just outside each room with things we like to have; site scrub, alcohol wipes, flushes, gauze, tape, caps, needle less adapters, med cups etc.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

Happened twice today - if you use the last glove please replace box. Not an answer to your question but had to say it

I am on the Saftey Committee and, believe it or not, there are RULES about where things go, how high they are to be hung, etc. Don't plan on moving stationary articles till you know they can be moved.

[LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM]

When my grandma was hospitalized after an MI, she was in a CCU for a day where all the rooms had clear sliding glass doors. Over the doors there were clear plastic hanging shoe racks, like the kind you put in your closet in your house or your dorm room, full of supplies in each little shoe pocket like alcohol wipes, flushes, red caps, etc. I could see the techs refilling all of the supplies. I thought it was a really smart idea and must have been helpful for the nurses to never have to turn back and go find a supply they forgot.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

It's my preference to have all the patient care supplies and moniter on one side and all the visitor chairs and storage on the other. I work in the ER. It saves time and body shuffling, and can be critical in a fast moving situation. Visitors will migrate to both sides of the stretcher no matter where you put the chairs, unless you move the stretcher so they have a bigger space on their side. Even slightly bigger works. Having a clear path has removed a LOT of stress from my day.