Patient Care Area vs Patient Care Vicinity

[landonselk]

Could someone please explain in what situation Patient Care Vicinity as apposed to Patient Care Area would be used. What are most Electricians wiring the bedrooms inside of Skilled Nursing Facilities?

 

[roger]

Patient Care Area.

Any portion of a health care facility wherein patients are intended to be examined or treated. Areas of a health care facility in which patient care is administered are classified as general care areas or critical care areas, either of which may be classified as a wet location. The governing body of the facility designates these areas in accordance with the type of patient care anticipated and with the following definitions of the area classification.

A patient care area is a broad term used for areas such as patient floors, OR' suites, PACU's ICU's. CCU's etc... whereas, a patient vicinity is the immediate area around the bed or table.

Patient Vicinity.

In an area in which patients are normally cared for, the patient vicinity is the space with surfaces likely to be contacted by the patient or an attendant who can touch the patient. Typically in a patient room, this encloses a space within the room not less than 1.8 m (6 ft) beyond the perimeter of the bed in its nominal location, and extending vertically not less than 2.3 m (7 1/ 2 ft) above the floor.

As far as the wiring method in the bedrooms of a Skilled Nursing Facility, it would be up to the AHJ as to what they would be classified as.



Roger