Read the following information:

Health care facilities are unique and have clearly defined characteristics based on the needs of the facility or population being served. Poor design may lead to staff, visitor, or patient stress. In large facilities, inability to find a department may lead to frustrations and disorientation for older patients. Poor layout may also lead to staff inefficiencies or fines because of failure to meet regulatory requirements.

Resource: Facility Planning - Part III on the student Website

Download the SmartDraw Healthcare software located on your student Website in Week Four.

Complete a floor plan of the facility that you selected.

Select one of the following facilities and obtain approval from your faculty regarding this choice. Indicate if this will be a new facility or the renovation of an existing structure. If it is a new or existing structure, also explain why the renovation or new facility is needed.

An ambulatory care clinic
A clinic within a hospital, such as an emergency room, surgical center, or an OB unit
A family clinic
An outpatient clinic
A long-term care facility

Choose the template you want to use and it will then open in the SmartDraw software. From that point, you will be able to modify the template and add the information listed below. Once you have completed the floor plan and you are still in the SmartDraw software, save it as a Word .doc file. This will keep the file size small and you may post the file in your appropriate course folder.

Using your SmartDraw floor plan, focus on the following environmental design elements:

The healthcare structure

Diagnostic and treatment space equipment and location

Customer service and amenities, such as the reception desk, bathroom, shower, vending machine, and so forth

Clinical support areas, such as nurse's station, charting areas, and so forth

Physician or dentist office space for patient consultation

Administrative offices

Building support, such as laundry, generator facilities, housekeeping, and so forth

Mechanical equipment, such as space for laboratory equipment, radiology equipment, gases such as oxygen, and suctions

Color and noise elements

Regulatory elements such as Occupational Safety and Health

Administration and ADA guidelines

Other elements such as IT or creative healing environmental ideas

Write a 350- to 700-word summary that includes the following information:

Reason you selected the floor plan you designed

Any recommendations or suggestions for completing your floor plan differently - what would you do differently next time?

Something that you learned from doing this process and completing your own floor plan.