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An Evaluation of Hospital Special-Ventilation-Room Pressures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Nancy Rice ,
Andrew Streifel  and
Donald Vesley
Nancy Rice
Affiliation:
Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Andrew Streifel
Affiliation:
Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Donald Vesley*
Affiliation:
Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
*
School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Box 807 Mayo, 420 Delaware St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
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Abstract

Objective:

To quantitate the magnitude and consistency of positive (airflow out) and negative (airflow in) hospital special-ventilation-room (SVR) airflow.

Design:

A room-pressure evaluation was conducted during two seasons on a total of 18 rooms: standard rooms, airborne infection isolation rooms, and protective environment rooms. The pressures were measured using a digital pressure gaugepiezoresistive pressure sensor that measured pressure differentials. With doors closed, the rooms were measured a minimum of 30 times each for a cooling season and a heating season.

Results:

The standard rooms showed the least amount of variability in pressure differential, with an average of −0.2 Pa (median, −0.2 Pa), and an interquartile range (IQR) of 0.4 Pa. Airborne infection isolation rooms showed more variability in pressure, with an average of −0.3 Pa (median, −0.2 Pa) and an IQR of 0.5 Pa. Protective environment rooms had the greatest fluctuation in pressure, with an average of 8.3 Pa (median, 7.7 Pa) and an IQR of 8.8 Pa. Dramatic pressure changes were observed during this evaluation, which may have been influenced by room architectural differences (sealed vs unsealed); heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning zone interactions; and stack effect.

Conclusion:

The pressure variations noted in this study, which potentially affect containment or exclusion of contaminants, support the need for standardization of pressure requirements for SVRs. To maintain consistent pressure levels, creating an airtight seal and continuous pressure monitoring may be necessary.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 22 , Issue 1 , January 2001 , pp. 19 - 23
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2001

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