Ward furniture and equipment

Abstract

Whilst concentrating upon the medical and nursing care of any patient it is easy to forget that much can usually be done to improve that patient’s life by changing his environment. Successful living is surely dependent upon a state of equilibrium between the patient and his environment. After disease or injury this equilibrium is disturbed, and all therapy should be directed towards its re-establishment. Improvement in the patient’s condition sometimes proves very difficult because of the severity of the disease. In these circumstances modification of the environment may provide the key to improvement in the quality of life. A major part of our environment is the furniture around us, and this is particularly true for the patient admitted to long-term care in a hospital, nursing home, local authority home or rest home. In addition, special equipment will be needed to overcome particular difficulties for the patient and for the staff caring for him. It is with these aspects that this chapter is concerned.