Waiting Rooms

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Specializes in ICU, CCU, Travel Nursing.

I need some input!

I am on a committee to redo our ICU waiting room. Recently a family member fell and broke her arm on linens that were just laying around from another family member. Now her bill is the hospitals bill.

Its not bad, it was redone 6-7 years ago. Its rather large. However the carpet is to be torn up and wood laminate to go down (it can be cleaned, the carpet stinks!). We want to increase the lighting. Possibly add a refreshment area (we are no longer going to allow family members to bring in food or drink into the ICU, and that way they don't come up to us wanting ice or coffee).

One of our managers talked about an experience at another, larger ICU. She said that every morning (7-8ish). Someone came in, turned the lights on and collected all the linens. Also to close the ICU for a couple hours every morning so house keeping could clean. Meaning families would have to remove all items for cleaning. We have been having problems with families making "forts" in corners.

Im just wanting ideas on what works and doesn't work for your waiting room. One of our CEO's is backing the project, so we really don't have a budget (within reason).

Thanks for any help!!

Lori:nurse:

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
I need some input!

I am on a committee to redo our ICU waiting room. Recently a family member fell and broke her arm on linens that were just laying around from another family member. Now her bill is the hospitals bill.

Its not bad, it was redone 6-7 years ago. Its rather large. However the carpet is to be torn up and wood laminate to go down (it can be cleaned, the carpet stinks!). We want to increase the lighting. Possibly add a refreshment area (we are no longer going to allow family members to bring in food or drink into the ICU, and that way they don't come up to us wanting ice or coffee).

One of our managers talked about an experience at another, larger ICU. She said that every morning (7-8ish). Someone came in, turned the lights on and collected all the linens. Also to close the ICU for a couple hours every morning so house keeping could clean. Meaning families would have to remove all items for cleaning. We have been having problems with families making "forts" in corners.

Im just wanting ideas on what works and doesn't work for your waiting room. One of our CEO's is backing the project, so we really don't have a budget (within reason).

Thanks for any help!!

Lori:nurse:

How about closing the waiting room at night so family's can't camp out. Our security doesn't allow anyone to stay in the waiting room over night. They have to check in with security, get a badge and have to stay on the first floor lobby.

But I agree with your ideas for the new waiting room.

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Specializes in Not too many areas I haven't dipped into.
I need some input!

I am on a committee to redo our ICU waiting room. Recently a family member fell and broke her arm on linens that were just laying around from another family member. Now her bill is the hospitals bill.

wow, she trips and it is the hospital's fault?

Just crazy.

Sounds like you already have some good ideas.

Our waiting room has a refreshment area and a table. There are recliners for overnight visitors.

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If there is not a place already, speaking now from being on the other side...somewhere private. Not for families to wait, loungue, whatever but somewhere to go in private to speak with the doctor, nurse, social worker etc. I witnessed some things in a open area that should of been held in that private little area if there was one available. Some families were left to weep, grieve, become emotional in a waiting room area. I guess there was no place to sit in private. I remember my father's doctor, looking a bit frustrated looking around and he at least, took me out of the waiting room. We spoke in the hallway in private. The best he could do, with bad news. It would not have to be big or fancy, but just a small area to have a few minutes in private.

Yes there were families sleeping over etc. and I guess having houseleeping, shutting it down for a while to clean up etc. Maybe a nice sign to remind families to keep it tidy, clean up etc. What struck me most and what I will always remember was the lack of a private area. It would help families a lot.

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Specializes in ICU, CCU, Travel Nursing.

We do have a consultation room. Its a small room with a few chairs around a table. Maybe a picture on the wall. You can enter it from the ICU or from the waiting room. It is used frequently for private conversation.

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Specializes in gen icu/ neuro icu/ trauma icu/hdu.

Sounds like u need to either ban linnens or have a place for relatives to sleep. My current unit has 2 "slep rooms" for acute ie 1-2 nites only as we are the only unit with all the specialties for about 1200 km north south and west so many of out pt's are from out of town with no accomodation for a day or so. These rooms are also used for relatives of paliative patients occassionally. That said blankets and pillows in the general waiting area are a no no.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ER.

Where are they getting the linens from? Our policy is to NOT give out linens or pillows to family members and there is no light switch in the waiting room. It is just that, a waiting room, not a sleep room. We do have a few guest rooms but they are generally full and we provide a list of hotels that offer discounts to families of patients.

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Our hospital has its own motel for around $12 a night. They converted an old nursing dormitory into motel rooms for family members and out of town patients with early clinic appointments. That takes care of some of the night visitors.

This hospital is a large state hospital, and many visitors live hours away.

There are no linens allowed in the ICU waiting room, and the couches are not terribly comfortable.

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