DescriptionThe Ultrasound Room - Procedures provides the space and amenities for sonographers to perform ultrasound imaging in support of clinicians carrying out biopsies and interventional procedures. General anaesthesia will not be administered in this room.Hours of OperationUp to 24 hoursOccupancy1 patient; 1 support person / carer; 1-2 staffAdditional Considerations~ The room will require sufficient clearance for the ultrasound machine and sonographer to be positioned to either side of the examination trolley and may need to occasionally accommodate a patient on a bed to either be transferred to the examination trolley or have the ultrasound/procedure performed while they are in the bed.
~ The ceiling height has been nominally shown at 2700mm, however 3000mm is also acceptable and the height is to be determined based on ceiling mounted equipment and service requirements.
~ Patient transfer aids such as mobile hoists, patient slides and hover mats are to be considered for assisted patient transfers to and from the examination couch where a procedure cannot alternatively be performed on a patient bed. A ceiling mounted hoist may be considered for patient transfers. Final selection of transfer aids will be dependent on service requirements, the needs of the anticipated patient cohort (e.g. for ambulatory services, acute services, etc.), as well as WHS risk assessments/policies. Appropriate ceiling support is required for the provision of a ceiling mounted hoist.
~ A combination of dimmable general room lighting and dimmable indirect lighting (wall and/ or ceiling fixtures) is preferred to obtain appropriate lighting levels and avoid glare on the screen of the ultrasound machine. Additional directional lighting for procedures may be required and is best provided with mobile procedure lights to allow sufficient adjustability to perform tasks while ensuring the ultrasound screen can still be visualised.
~ Sufficient space for pathology staff to bring in a trolley and plug in equipment (e.g. microscopes) is required.
~ Close access to a patient toilet and change room is required, with direct access from the room being preferred to support patients that have changed into gowns and require ultrasounds to be performed with a full bladder and then with an empty bladder.
~ Provision of reticulated nitrous oxide is optional and must be confirmed to suit local jurisdictional policies and operational service requirements. The use of nitrous oxide is declining due to a range of clinical and environmental concerns. Reticulated systems have been found to increase leakage of nitrous oxide (a potent greenhouse gas) to atmosphere, can increase facility operating costs and potentially expose staff to nitrous oxide. Reticulated nitrous oxide and associated scavenge outlets are not mandatory for any healthcare service and point of care cylinders can meet clinical requirements for the majority of healthcare facilities. Due consideration must be given to a range of operational considerations including monitoring and measurement of usage, management of leakage, WHS requirements relating to the use of cylinders, approach to the provision of scavenge where cylinders are used, appropriate storage for cylinders, and security of gas sources given it is used as a recreational drug.
~ Provision of height adjustable workstations or fixed joinery is to be in line with service requirements and local WHS policies.
~ The type, extent and configuration of storage within the room for consumables, linen, equipment, etc. will be dependent on service requirements, operational policies for stock centralisation/decanting and infection prevention and control policies.
~ Size, type and quantity of waste bins is dependent on waste management policies (e.g. for waste separation, frequency of waste removal, etc.) and service requirements.
~ Hours of operation depend on the service in which this room is located. Ambulatory medical imaging services may only operate during business hours or extended business hours, some small hospital services may have an on-call, after-hours service. Large units are likely to provide a 24-hour service, especially where a satellite service is provided with an emergency department.
~ Requirement for fixed and/or mobile duress to be confirmed to suit service requirements.
~ An operational model for responding to calls from staff/patients will be needed to support the inclusion of a nurse call system and is to be determined based on service requirements.
~ Provision of an intercom for staff communication within the department is dependent on service requirements. This function may be provided as part of the telephone system.
~ The final services and configuration of the Medical Services Panel (MSP) - medical gases, nurse call, power and data - will be dependent on service requirements.
~ The need for and extent of emergency power and UPS must be reviewed to suit site specific requirements and confirmed based on risk assessment considering the impact of a power outage on patient care/safety.