Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Urology
It also must include space for functional support areas
that are common to most ORs, such as instrument
processing, technical support, and equipment storage
areas. It is necessary for clinical engineers to have
knowledge of the OR layout and design issues. Clinical
engineers, as technical experts of medical technology and
the environment in which it is used, also may serve as
a valuable resource in the design of an OR.
The arrangement of surgical suites often reflects
a hospital's available space and surgical requirements.
Several OR floor plans have been developed to utilize
available space and maximize productivity most ideally.
The L- or T-shaped single-corridor layout is common in
smaller ORs. Larger facilities typically utilize the multiple-
corridor layout, with the clustering of surgical suites by
surgical specialty (Bronzino, 1992). Grouping surgical
specialties together aids in the efficiency of sharing
common resources.
The location of functional support areas that serve the
OR is another important consideration in a floor plan.
The efficiency of these services is enhanced when the
distances that must be traveled are minimized. The fol-
lowing is a list of some functional support areas that are
commonly found in, or adjacent to, the OR.
Urology is the study, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases
of the urinary tract in both sexes, and the genital tract in
the male.
Burn treatment
Burn treatment is surgery performed to treat and manage
burn injuries by reconstructing damaged tissues and
improving functionality of the damaged area. A burn
team might include plastic and general surgeons.
Pediatric surgery
Pediatric surgery is concerned with the health of infants,
children, and adolescents.
For the purpose of this chapter, the setting for any
of the following procedural areas can be characterized
as a surgical suite. In many cases, the equipment
and facility requirements that are present in these areas
are similar to those found in a conventional OR
environment.
Labor and delivery
Endoscopy
Ophthalmology and otolaryngology procedure rooms
Dental surgery
Radiology suites, including interventional radiology
and radiation oncology
Interventional electrophysiology
Treatment rooms in which minor procedures are
performed
ORs, large and small, rely heavily on medical personnel
and support staff to carry out a wide variety of tasks. The
following is a list of some of the employees who might be
found working in, or providing a service to, the OR.
Physicians and anesthesiologists
Registered nurses, circulating nurses, scrub nurses,
nursing assistants, and surgical technicians
Clinical engineers, biomedical engineering technicians,
and anesthesia technicians
Schedulers, record keepers, patient transporters,
turnover team, purchasers, and administrators
Induction and pre-operative
holding areas
Induction and pre-operative holding areas are utilized to
prepare the patient for surgery, and the administration of
anesthesia. These services are located either immediately
adjacent to the OR or within the department. The pro-
cedures and services performed in these areas will vary
from hospital to hospital. The holding areas at some fa-
cilities are used simply to prepare the patient for delivery
to the surgical suite, and other hospitals might utilize this
area to fully anesthetize the patient.
Scrub stations
Scrub stations used for hand washing contain sinks and
cleaning supplies and are common to all ORs. Two scrub
positions must be located adjacent to the entrance to
each surgical suite.
Operating room floor plan
Control desk
The floor plan of a well-organized and safe OR involves
a great deal of research and planning. It is a complex
environment with numerous design criteria. The layout
of the facility directly effects user productivity and
satisfaction. The OR must be arranged in a manner that is
conducive to the flow of patients, staff, and equipment.
The control desk is the communication center of the OR.
Arrangement of the case schedule is a primary function of
the control desk. This is vital for the efficiency and pro-
ductivity of the OR. Several things must be considered
when planning the schedule. The scheduler must co-
ordinate the urgency of surgical cases, surgical location,
