EN
Blood laminar flow ward, also known as sterile ward or one-way flow ward, is not a single ward or several wards, but a "clean nursing unit" composed of this special ward as the core and other necessary auxiliary rooms.
We typically see several patient groups in our facility: those with leukemia who've had either their own or donor bone marrow transplants, cancer patients undergoing aggressive chemo treatments, individuals suffering from major burn injuries covering large areas of their body, people battling serious lung diseases, and transplant recipients. These folks simply cannot survive outside of controlled environments because their immune systems aren't functioning properly anymore. That's why we need special sterile rooms where infections won't spread. Right now, two departments rely heavily on these clean spaces more than others. Hematology units take care of blood cancer patients, while burn centers require similar protections given how vulnerable skin grafts and healing tissue are to contamination risks.
Aseptic nursing stands out as a special type of care provided in laminar flow wards where keeping everything completely sterile is absolutely critical for patient safety. Anyone planning to enter these specialized rooms needs to prepare properly beforehand. They have to thoroughly clean both themselves and anything they bring along according to strict protocols. On arrival day, patients typically start with a medicated shower followed by putting on full sets of sterile garments including clothing, undergarments, and even special slippers designed for the environment. Nothing gets into the laminar flow area without going through proper disinfection first. Once inside, every aspect of treatment, personal care routines, and daily activities happens under the watchful eyes of dedicated nursing personnel who work exclusively within this highly controlled setting.
1ãLayout of blood laminar flow ward
Choosing where to place the ward matters a lot. Ideally, keep it away from any pollution sources, find somewhere quiet, and ensure good air quality around the area. Best practice suggests putting this ward at the far end of the hospital building, separate from other areas so it forms its own distinct section. If we need to put it near other clean departments, there needs to be proper connections for staff to move between them while still keeping these spaces somewhat apart. This separation helps maintain better hygiene standards overall. The layout really affects how well everything functions day to day.
When it comes to building scale, there really aren't strict guidelines set in stone. Hospitals typically decide how many beds they need depending on their department's size and how busy they get with outpatients year after year. For space calculations, most facilities start at around 200 square meters for departments with just 1 or 2 beds. Each extra bed generally needs about 50 more square meters added to accommodate everything properly. Speaking from what I've seen across different hospitals, having four laminar flow wards tends to work best for general hematology departments. This setup helps manage infection control while still allowing enough room for patient care without overcrowding.
When designing functional spaces for healthcare facilities, it's important to go beyond just laminar flow wards. The building needs a range of support areas too. These include places where nurses can monitor patients from observation posts or work at their stations. Clean corridors are essential for moving around safely between different zones. There should also be dedicated treatment rooms along with storage spaces for sterile supplies. Preparation areas double as recovery spaces in many cases. Meal prep areas need separate space as well. Buffer zones help control traffic flow between sections. Specialized areas like medicinal baths and patient bathrooms must be included. Corridors designated for visits allow family members to see loved ones without disrupting operations. Waste management requires specific rooms for proper disposal. Staff need places to change shoes before entering sensitive areas, plus dressing and shower facilities. Offices for medical personnel and duty rooms complete the picture of what makes a functional healthcare environment.
Keeping things clean versus dirty is essential for managing who comes into the care unit through the main entrance. People and items need their own separate routes so they don't mix up and spread infections around. When someone enters, they should stick to designated paths that keep everything organized. Near where patients stay, it makes sense to create a sealed off corridor outside. This space serves two purposes actually one for visitors to walk along safely and another for moving waste materials away from the clean areas. Such a setup helps maintain proper separation between clean zones and contaminated ones throughout the facility.
When considering the size of laminar flow wards, designers need to balance both functional requirements and budget constraints. Larger spaces mean bigger air handling systems, which drives up both initial construction costs and ongoing operational expenses. Patients typically spend about two months in these controlled environments, so cramped conditions can lead to feelings of confinement. We've seen cases where limited space contributes to mood swings ranging from irritability to isolation, all of which hinder recovery progress. Practical experience shows that most facilities find a sweet spot somewhere around 8 square meters per patient. Our field assessments suggest optimal dimensions with ceiling heights between 2.2m and 2.5m, allowing enough headroom without wasting valuable floor space. Interestingly, as healthcare standards continue evolving alongside rising expectations for patient comfort, many newer facilities are actually allocating slightly more space than traditional guidelines recommend.
Designing glass windows for nursing areas requires careful thought. Observation windows need to go between the main ward area and either the front reception space or the clean corridor. For talking purposes, there should also be viewing windows placed between patient rooms and the visitor corridor. Lowering the window sills makes all the difference since it lets patients see what's happening around them even when they're just lying there in bed. They get to watch staff working in the unit, spot relatives walking through the corridors, and catch glimpses of whatever's going on outside. The talking window itself needs those aluminum louvers though, especially during sensitive moments when privacy matters most. Some setups have these little sliding windows or dedicated holes below the main nursing window for things like IV lines. This setup means nurses can actually deliver meals, meds, and run IVs without stepping foot into the actual patient room. Fewer entries into contaminated spaces keeps everything cleaner overall, which is obviously a big plus for infection control.
Designing transfer windows: These special access points work best when placed along corridors that connect wards directly to exterior areas, making it easier to move waste materials safely away from patient zones. If circumstances make standard disposal impossible, staff can package everything right there at the source and send it through dedicated waste transfer windows found in designated clean corridors. Sterile storage areas definitely need their own transfer windows too, as do kitchen spaces where food gets prepared. The windows allow essential supplies and equipment to come into these sensitive environments without compromising cleanliness standards or workflow efficiency.
2ãspace design
Hematology wards are often found inside internal medicine nursing units, though sometimes they exist as standalone spaces depending on hospital size and resources. When clean rooms are necessary for specific treatments, these need to function as distinct zones away from regular traffic areas. Inside each clean room setup typically includes several key components: preparation areas for staff, dedicated patient bathrooms with both showers and bathtubs, private nurse stations, specialized washing and disinfection facilities, plus rooms housing the actual air purification systems. For patient comfort and infection control, it makes sense to have separate bathroom arrangements rather than shared ones. These single occupancy spaces help maintain sterility standards. At the entrance point there needs to be not just standard shoe changing areas but also secondary change points to prevent cross contamination between different sections. Speaking of hygiene measures, wash basins located throughout the blood laminar flow wards must incorporate touchless induction faucets since manual taps pose obvious risks of spreading pathogens.
Blood wards need different clean room standards depending on whether patients are being treated or recovering. For treatment periods, Grade I clean rooms are required, whereas recovery periods can use Grade II or better facilities. The airflow system must follow an upward supply and downward return pattern. In Grade I wards specifically, there needs to be vertical unidirectional airflow covering the entire patient activity zone including beds. The minimum supply air outlet area has to be at least 6 square meters, with return air coming down from both sides of the room. If horizontal airflow is chosen instead, then patient areas should be positioned where fresh air first enters, making sure the head end of beds faces the direction where clean air comes in. Each ward's air purification system requires two separate fans operating simultaneously as backup systems running nonstop throughout the day. Speed controls are essential too, allowing adjustment between at least two distinct wind speeds. During active treatment times, airflow velocity across workspaces shouldn't drop below 0.20 meters per second, and even when patients rest, it still needs to stay above 0.12 m/s. Temperature ranges matter as well - winter temperatures inside must stay above 22 degrees Celsius with humidity no less than 45%, while summer conditions shouldn't go beyond 27°C with humidity capped at 60%. Noise levels also count; everything should remain under 45 decibels. Lastly, all neighboring and connecting spaces must maintain a minimum positive pressure differential of 5 Pascals to prevent contamination spread.
An effective air conditioning system needs to satisfy several key criteria first and foremost. The zoning arrangement must take into account factors like indoor climate parameters, presence of medical equipment, hygiene standards, operational hours, cooling demands, and any additional specific needs. Different functional areas within the facility ought to operate independently, each forming its own distinct system rather than being interconnected. Air conditioning zones need proper containment between them to prevent cross contamination via airborne particles, which is critical in healthcare settings where infection control matters most. Special attention should go to spaces requiring particular levels of cleanliness alongside those known for high pollution levels these should definitely have their own dedicated systems entirely separate from others in the building.
Designing bathrooms for patients requires attention to several key factors. First off, the space allocated for each bathroom compartment needs at least 1.1 meters by 1.4 meters of floor area, and doors must swing outward rather than inward. Infusion hooks are essential inside these compartments for medical needs. Toilet seat rings should be made from materials that resist contamination and allow for thorough cleaning after use. When designing squat toilets, make sure there's no step or height change between areas. Safety grab bars near the toilet are absolutely necessary for stability. Bathrooms also need an anteroom area and automatic hand washing stations instead of manual ones. For outdoor facilities, connecting them via corridors to main buildings makes sense both practically and aesthetically. Gender neutral restrooms specifically designed for patients offer better flexibility and comfort. All accessibility features in both private and public restrooms must follow guidelines outlined in the national Code for Accessibility Design (GB 50763) standards.
