Creation of a medical ward from non‐clinical space amidst the Covid‐19 pandemic

Hospitals were mandated to dramatically increase capacity during the Covid‐19 crisis in New York City. Conversion of non‐clinical space into medical units designated for Covid‐19 patients became necessary to accommodate this mandate. Methods Non‐clinical space was converted into medical units at multiple campuses of a large academic hospital system over 1 week. The conversion required construction to deliver basic care including oxygen supplementation. Creation of provider workspaces, handwashing areas, and colour‐coded infection control zones was prioritized. Selection criteria were created with a workflow to determine appropriate patients for transfer into converted space. Staffing of converted space shifted as hospitalizations surged. Results The unit was open for 18 days and accommodated 170 unique patients. Five patients (2.9%) required transfer to a higher level of care. There were no respiratory arrests, cardiac arrests, or deaths in the new unit. Conclusion Converting non‐clinical space to a medical unit was accomplished quickly with staffing, workflow for appropriate patients, few patients who returned to a higher level of care, and no respiratory or cardiac arrests or deaths on the unit.