Forum Session: Biocontainment Patient Care Units (BPCUs) for containing infectious diseases--configuration, capacity, cost

Healthcare organizations are pressed to develop facilities and operating plans for biocontainment patient care units (BPCU) in the event of an infectious disease outbreak, bioterrorism, or laboratory accident. The formula for balancing capability, capacity, and cost is elusive. Pat Lenaghan profiles the renovation at the Nebraska Medical Center which provides a 5,000-sf biocontainment unit for patient care. She details the facility design and equipment employed, and the standards established at each project stage. Pat also outlines the operating plan and staffing strategies, and reveals facility and operating issues identified from drills and “false alarms.”

This session qualifies for AIA CEU credit.
This session also qualifies for HSW credit.

• Pat Lenaghan, RN, MSN, Nurse Director (Retired) - University of Nebraska Medical Center