Separate but equal: Your veterinary isolation ward doesnt have to be drab
Disease containment space comes with a checklist of requirementsbut dreariness isnt one of them. Check out these isolation ward photos from veterinary hospitals across the country to see how your colleagues care for these fragile patients while protecting the rest from outbreaks.
The isolation ward at 1st Pet Veterinary Centers in Mesa, Arizona, boasts large windows: one from the hallway for close monitoring by the veterinary team and one looking outdoors for lots of natural light. | Photo courtesy of Mark Boisclair, Mark Boisclair Photography.
The isolation ward at Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital in Thousand Oaks, California, is designed to be a hospital unto itself, with negative-pressure airflow. A separate washer and dryer, flip-down table, four isolation cages and a run allow nothing to go in or out of the room that shouldn't. Staff members can even bathe patients in the room (see next photo). | Photo courtesy of Gregory Mancuso Photography.
At Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital, the isolation run with epoxy walls and floor serves as a bathing station for parvo puppies. | Photo courtesy of Gregory Mancuso Photography.
The team at Tryon Equine Hospital in Columbus, North Carolina, says it's important for a full-service equine hospital to be able to isolate potential contagious diseases. That's where the isolation barn comes into play. It's set up to completely separate patients from each other and the main hospital. Individual prep and cleaning areas allow for proper protocols and for staff to care for patients without leaving this isolation zone. | Photo courtesy of Tim Murphy, Foto Imagery Ltd.
Patients of NorthStar VETS in Maple Shade, New Jersey, requiring isolation have a room with large windows for staff to see inside from the hallway. There are four cages available to accommodate more than one case at a time. | Photo courtesy of Hugh Loomis, Hugh Loomis Photography.
The isolation unit at McGregor Boulevard Veterinary Clinic in Fort Myers, Florida, features a glass door and corner window so it's very visible. "Patients are easily observed, yet infectious diseases are contained," the team writes in their Hospital Design Competition entry notebook. | Photo courtesy of Stuart Gobey, Island Studio Photography.
