DescriptionThe Triage - Emergency, Assessment Room provides the space, equipment and services for initial assessment, physical examination and commencement of first aid for patients presenting to the Emergency Unit.Hours of Operation24 hoursOccupancy1 patient; 1 visitor / support person; 1-2 staffAdditional Considerations~ This room should be located adjacent or in close proximity to the Reception - Emergency (RECP-E).
~ Provision of a window for visual access from Reception - Emergency (when these rooms are collocated) may be considered to ensure staff are not isolated in the front of house area.
~ Clear line of sight to the waiting room is recommended for observation when the triage nurse is not with a patient.
~ The extent of glazing provided to the room is to be determined at project level to suit the overall department layout and requirements for waiting room observation. Provision of integral blinds or extension of the privacy curtain track over the internal observation window is to be determined to suit requirements for observation and patient privacy.
~ A Type B handwash basin is shown within this Standard Component but may instead be provided nearby and shared between multiple Triage Assessment Rooms. Removal of the handwash basin is subject to consultation with Emergency Unit and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) staff. Refer to Part D: Infection Prevention and Control for more information.
~ A patient flow/journey board should be located in a shared area nearby to Triage Assessment Rooms.
~ Ready access to height and weight measurement facilities, including baby weighing, is recommended.
~ Ready access to medications, including refrigerated medications, is required. Depending on model of care, access to a separate refrigerator for icepacks, oral rehydration solutions, etc. may also be required to support waiting room medicine.
~ A wall clock should be visible from all clinical areas in the Emergency unit. The location and type of clocks provided, including any required connection to a master clock system, is to be determined at a project level.
~ Input of electronic medical records (EMR) may be performed on a wall mounted computer workstation, a computer on a desk/bench, or on a wirelessly connected workstation on wheels (WOW). Final configuration is dependent on clinical service requirements, operational models for medical records and local ICT strategies and policies.
~ The patient monitor may be mounted on the patient’s left or the patient’s right. The location of the patient monitor is to be determined at project level to suit clinical workflows and equipment functionality. Appropriate in-wall support is required for mounting the bracket for the patient monitor.
~ The content and configuration of the medical services panel (MSP), including medical gases, power and data, will be dependent on clinical services requirements and the services requirements of selected equipment. Final configuration is to be confirmed at project level.
~ The weight capacity of recliners selected must be considered to suit a wide range of patient requirements. The recliner must also have the ability to lay completely flat.
~ The clear area required for the use of transfer aids (such as mobile hoists, patient slides, hover mats, etc.), the space for the trolley or wheelchair the patient is being transferred to, and the staff required to assist/complete the patient transfer, is to be considered and confirmed at project level. Work Health and Safety (WHS) policies and patient transfer devices that are intended to be used in the patient bay should be confirmed by the project team.
~ Mobile duress coverage is to be assessed and planned at a department level and coverage is to meet local security and WHS policies as well as operational service requirements.
~ The type, extent and configuration of storage within the room for consumables will be dependent on clinical services requirements, operational policies for stock centralisation/decanting and IPC policies.
~ Size, type and quantity of waste bins provided, including sharps bins, will be dependent on clinical services requirements, operational models for waste management (including separation of waste streams and frequency of waste removal) and local infection prevention and control (IPC) policies. It may be determined that bins for specific waste streams are to be located in a shared area between multiple triage rooms and possibly brought to the room as required.
~ Provision and extent of emergency/standby power and/or uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is to be confirmed to suit clinical services requirements and site conditions. Confirmation of power requirements is to be based on risk assessment considering the impact of a power outage on patient care/safety and medical equipment specifications.
~ Provision of cleaner’s power outlets is to be rationalised across the department and spaced in accordance with AS/NZS 3003.