Mapping of pharmaceutical rooms in the Västra Götaland region

Abstract

The Västra Götaland region of western Sweden has invested in the new technology of automated pharmaceutical dispensers. Because of this, the work processes used in and potentially the layouts of pharmaceutical rooms in hospital wards will need to be reviewed in order to realise the intended outcomes of the investment; better working environment for employees, increased patient safety and increased process efficiency. When committing to large development projects it is customary to start the process by ensuring complete understanding of the processes and facilities involved, in order to create optimal improvements. This thesis aims to create the foundation for future standardisation of pharmaceutical rooms in the Västra Götaland region. To achieve this, a review of regulations, standards and routines concerning the processes in and layout of rooms was conducted, as was a mapping of nine rooms currently in use in the region. Theory regarding work design and standards is presented to give a context to the findings of the project.