Medical Construction & Design

JAN-FEB 2018

Medical Construction & Design (MCD) is the industry's leading source for news and information and reaches all disciplines involved in the healthcare construction and design process.

Issue link: https://mcdmag.epubxp.com/i/935388

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 57 of 62

MCDM AG.COM | JA N UA RY/ F EBRUA RY 2018 | Medical Construction & Design 53 Products From top: nora fl ooring contributes to a positive fi rst impression for visitors and patients entering Slidell Memorial Hospital. Noise associated with busy hallways is no match for the fl oor's acoustic properties, which contribute to a quiet, healing environment. Flooring gives nod to patient-centered culture Supporting Care Slidell Memorial Hospital in Slidell, Louisiana, takes a "feel better faster" approach to patient care, getting patients into beds, healed and on their way home as quickly and safely as possible. According to Jeff rey Singley, director, with responsibility for environ- mental services, nora premium rubber fl ooring reinforces that approach. Singley appreciates the fl oor's simple cleaning regimen, saying, "Floor fi nishes, stripping and waxing—it's all a thing of the past. There's no need for it anymore; not when you have this product." He adds, "The cost savings in fl oor fi nish and fl oor stripper, and having to do it twice a year, has probably saved our department budgets' about 18 percent annually." This simple cleaning regimen benefi ts patients, too. As Anita Becker, director of critical care services, explains, "Our patients are very sensitive in the ICU to smells and sounds. So, the fact that we don't have to use heavy equipment to clean our fl oors or heavy chemicals to clean and strip them is a wonderful addi- tion to the system… We also see a tremen- dous gain in our room turnover." Becker's praise continues. "One of the things that makes our fl ooring so wonderful is that we have fl ash coving extending from the fl oor up the wall. There are no corners or crevices for dirt and grime to get into." She also appreciates the fl oor's slip re- sistance. "Oftentimes, we move at a pace that requires us to move more quickly and respond promptly to our patients, without any hesitation due to a fear of falls, trips or slip hazards." Additionally, the absence of fi nishes FLOORING helps reduce glare. Explains Becker, "In an environment like the ICU, where so many diff erent stimulants come from so many diff erent sources, glare is some- thing the fl ooring takes away." The fl oor also supports a quiet envi- ronment. Says Becker, "Quiet is some- thing we take very seriously, because there's a lot of literature that supports the fact that quiet time is paramount for patient recovery… Something that contributes to that and helps would be our fl ooring system. You don't hear the footsteps. You don't hear the cart going down the hallway… All of that is absorbed through the fl oor." Staff also appreciates the fl oor's comfort. "Caregivers are impacted by the fl ooring every day, every hour, every min- ute of every 12-hour shift they work," says Becker. "They walk miles and miles in the course of a single day, so having a fl ooring system that supports them and provides comfort makes all the diff erence." Durability, too, is important, especially in the service corridor, where forklift traffi c, linen carts, infectious waste carts and wheelchairs join foot traffi c. Says Singley, "I can clearly say that it's one of the easiest corridors to take care of be- cause of nora. It's easy to clean, aestheti- cally pleasing and isn't breaking down." Just as signifi cant, the fl oor contrib- utes to that all-important fi rst impres- sion. "It might not matter what type of care you provide," says Becker. "If the environment is not right when they walk in the door, then you've already done a disservice to your families." Easy-to-maintain nora fl ooring consis- tently looks good and regularly supports the hospital's commitment to compas- sionate care and a patient-centered cul- ture. Adds Singley, "Installing nora is just the right thing to do to heal the patient." Visit nora.com.

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Medical Construction & Design - JAN-FEB 2018