Rethinking the Healthcare Facilities: The Role of the Buffer Space

OBJECTIVES

A working group conducted a survey on the use of the principle of buffer space (BS), which in case of emergencies, could benefit healthcare settings. The aim of the preliminary investigation is to define new research lines in hospitals' functional design.

BACKGROUND

The global experience of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted challenges faced by hospitals when responding promptly to emergencies, including spatial reorganization and suspension of ordinary medical activities for ensuring adequate management of the emergency surge of patients.

METHODS

The group designed questionnaires to be administered to healthcare staff and healthcare designers aimed at understanding varied conceptions and features of BSs. Content across the two surveys overlapped significantly, allowing for direct comparisons of responses, while also including tailored questions in relation to the respective experience and skills of the two groups of respondents.

RESULTS

102 healthcare professionals and 56 designers took part to the survey. Analysis of the responses permitted for initial recommendations regarding BS typology including (a) proximity to the emergency department (ED), intensive care units (ICUs), and inpatient wards (IWs); (b) location within hospitals but separate from other medical areas; (c) need for independent access; (d) organizational and spatial features similar to ED, ICUs, and IWs; (e) existing as a fully flexible operational space; and (f) BS bed capacity to be approximately 12% of ED beds.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the analysis is related to the Italian context, the expansion of this preliminary research to alternate healthcare facilities and geographic areas is necessary for reaching a wide consensus by different professionals on this field. It serves as a starting point for future investigations regarding the implementation of BS in hospital settings.

The effect of light-cured resin with a glass fiber net as an intermediate material for Hard & Space mouthguard

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Despite the use of conventional mouthguards, preventable sports-related dental injuries continue to occur. The authors have developed a two-layered ethylene polyvinyl acetate (EVA) mouthguard with a hard polyethylene terephthalate (PET) insert and a buffer space (H&SMG). However, adapting the PET onto the EVA layer requires skill. A light-cured Splint Resin (SRLC) and a glass fiber net (NET) reinforcement appear to resolve this issue. The aim of this study was to investigate whether SRLC with NET could replace PET and find a more practical application for NET.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A pendulum impact testing machine and a dental model with strain gages were used. Six types of mouthguards were made: one with two laminated EVA blanks (LAM-MG), a three-layer type with a PET insert and an intermediate space (PET-H&SMG), a H&SMG with SRLC insert (LC-H&SMG), and three other types with differential NET-SRLC reinforcement; NET on the outer surface of SRLC, NET on the inner surface of SRLC, and NET on both the outer and inner surfaces. Five mouthguards of each type were fabricated and tested ten times with impact distances of 15 and 30 cm. Forty more impacts were applied to all H&SMGs to confirm the durability of the hard inner layer.

RESULTS

All H&SMGs showed significant strain reduction compared to the LAM-MG. PET-H&SMG and the four types of LC-H&SMG exhibited an equally slight strain (approximately 95% shock absorbing ability) in all conditions. During the test against the smaller impact, all H&SMGs showed no cracks. When tested against the stronger impact, only the LC-H&SMG with the reinforced inner surface, the double NET-reinforced LC-H&SMG, and the PET-H&SMG remained intact.

CONCLUSION

The NET-reinforced SRLC can replace PET as an intermediate mouthguard material. The NET application, at least on the internal surface, is indispensable for the LC-H&SMG reinforcement.