Since entering the United States from Rome in 1893 to care for the ailing wife of a local Chicago civic leader, the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary have upheld an extremely endearing tradition of tending to the sick throughout the entire Chicagoland area. This dedication has extended well beyond the building of the original Little Company of Mary Hospital in 1930 and into a $180 million Campus Transformation Project which culminated in late summer of 2014.
Key to this massive renovation in Evergreen Park, IL. was the construction of the new 290,000 square-foot West Pavilion patient tower designed to combine the finest, state-of-the-art medical care with an aesthetic, spiritual environment committed to healing and peace of mind. Included in its many features are the first Comprehensive Women’s Center for Life and Health along with a wealth of amenities such as a waterwall promoting patient and professional staff serenity, spacious private rooms filled with natural lighting, the original artwork of local artists and the Family Birth Center (FBC) providing roomy, tranquil housing for mother, baby and families.
“The Little Company of Mary Hospital has a long history of adapting to changing times and delivering personalized, compassionate care to those we are called to serve,” says Mary Grimm, RN, Nurse Manager for Maternal Child Services. “This four-year transformation process was our latest bold effort to create a beacon of joy and place of healing and hope for the entire community based on the provision of medical and patient services that rival any in the country.”
Another fundamental element to this monumental renovation project was the design of the clinical area and nurse’s lounge located adjacent to the West Pavilion’s maternity ward. Painstaking care was involved with the specification of materials and supplies that would not only increase staff efficiencies, but also ensure personal comfort. This included the selection of 500 beige Tufftec Lockers from Scranton Products to replace the previous metal lockers, which were subject to dents, rust and other maintenance problems. And, the Z-shaped locker design enabled them to be stacked top and bottom, which greatly maximizes space by enabling two lockers to fit into the space of one. The new lockers each have a shelf, hangars, hooks and shoe space.
Prestige Distribution of Northbrook, IL, acted as distributor and installer of the hospital’s new lockers. “Over a two to three week timeframe, we installed 256 locker frames on seven floors at the expanded West Pavilion,” said David Waxman of Prestige. Waxman and colleague Adi Klinghofer worked with General Contractor Power Construction to install these and additional Tufftec lockers for other renovation phases throughout the hospital. “The lockers were quite easy for our installers to install,” said Klinghofer. “We provided a base, slope top, and trim to complete the installation.”
Tufftec Lockers are available in eight classic and two speckled colors to complement virtually any style or décor. Tufftec Lockers designs also come in a multitude of configurations to make the most of a space while still providing design options that complement any architecture.
“The first thing we noticed was that the Tufftec lockers were so quiet,” explains Grimm. “The banging from the metal lockers could be heard outside of the lounge and into the halls often creating a disruptive environment for mothers and their new arrivals. Noise is no longer a problem in the wing.” A recent ASTM test confirms this, showing that metal lockers are 6.4 decibels when closed, which is 3 times louder than Tufftec Lockers.
“In addition, the new lockers are much more hygienic than metal because bacteria cannot live on the surface for very long,” said Grimm. And, whereas crevices and rust can harbor bacteria and viruses, the Tufftec lockers help prevent the spread of illnesses by being so easy to clean and wipe down. They even have a separate shelf for shoes, which helps to reduce the spread of bacteria and germs to scrubs, lab coats and other sanitary hospital attire.”
According to Grimm, the engineering staff finds that Tufftec Lockers provide a decrease in maintenance time and costs and the material does not chip or scratch. Because they are GREENGUARD Gold Certified to meet the strictest standards for indoor air quality, Grimm also believes they are the ideal choice for an organization dedicated to safeguarding health and meeting green standards. “It is very important, especially in pediatrics that the indoor air quality be safe.” she said. And, she said the new hospital recognizes the importance of being kind to the environment by meeting the highest green standards.
Engineered for strength and durability, Tufftec’s HDPE material withstands the harshest daily use, while remaining virtually maintenance free. The lockers are also impact, dent and graffiti resistant as well as impervious to moisture and naturally resistant to bacteria, mold and mildew. No need for painting means there are no VOC emissions.
“Aesthetically they look like the day they were installed,” adds Grimm. “Compared to metal, these lockers maintain safety and security, while reducing surface bacteria. I would highly recommend Tufftec Lockers to any facility going through renovations.”
Learn more about the Little Company of Mary Hospital’s experience with the new Tufftec Locker installation on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqkQW_njymw) or visit www.scrantonproducts.com.
About Scranton Products:
For more than 25 years, Scranton Products’ premium brands have led the plastic partitions market setting new benchmarks for the industry in quality and innovation. Our well-known brands, including Hiny Hiders®, Resistall™ Tufftec® and Duralife®, feature the most durable, low maintenance and best looking partitions and locker products in the industry. They won’t dent, rust or need painting, and because they have color throughout, delamination is not a factor. For more information, visit www.scrantonproducts.com.