Unit layout

[arborguy]

I grew up as a nurse in an old school, U shaped ICU. Was small, we could see every patient from the desk. I’ve worked in the newer “race track” type units. There are areas to sit outside of each room designed to watch patients closer as opposed to a central desk but rarely are we sitting outside.

I have a few theories.

1-No central desk has fragmented staff. It’s tougher to feel like a “team.”

2-In the old school U shaped units, I feel patients were watched closer, more eyes on those patients. The out of sight, out of mind.

3-I just feel more of a division mentality (those are YOUR patients...) in this layout of a unit. I think typically, we all felt some ownership of the patients (even if we weren’t necessarily assigned to that one) would answer lights, answer IV pumps...

Thouhts?

[scribblz, BSN, CNA, LPN]

I work on a med surg floor with a central nurse's station hub, and because we all sit together there's a sense of cohesion that stems from that. If someone else is doing an admission we answer their call lights, keep an eye on their tele etc. If someone has been trapped in a room too long ? we rescue them.

Other newer units have their nurses spread out into cubbies, and I don't care for it at all I feel isolated from my team.