Abstract
The hospital literature of the 1960's contains about a dozen reports or articles pertaining to the relative merits of circular vs. conventional (chiefly linear corridors flanked by patient rooms on both sides). The claims included items other than nurses travel, for example, patient visibility to nursing staff, subjective impressions, and building costs. This article is concerned only with general but quantitative comparisons of these two classes of nursing units with respect to nurses travel.
Mathematical models have been developed which permit practically instant evaluation of nursing units where all patient rooms are for a single occupant or where all rooms are for two occupants. The model reflects changes in room size and internal arrangement. Examination of the architect's preliminary sketches permits the determination of superior ority of one layout over another in terms of travel.
The fact that this is but one of hundreds of determinations to be made in hospital designs does not diminish its importance. The literature contains various claims to “efficiency” based on no objective criteria. The model provides a simple and objective determination of nurses travel, for any number of patients typically visited and for any pattern of randomness or orderliness in their assignments.
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