Acuity-adaptable rooms allow patients to stay in one room from the time they are admitted to when they leave, regardless of their acuity level. These specially equipped private rooms are staffed by nurses who have the skills and training to support the complete range of care for patients with similar conditions or disease processes. The rooms are larger in size than a regular hospital room to accommodate various patients’ needs as their condition changes, such as critical care equipment, additional staff, procedures, and family members. Research shows that acuity-adaptable rooms reduce transport costs, decrease errors, minimize workflow bottlenecks, and enhance patient care.
This literature review provides a summary of the research to date on acuity-adaptable patient rooms.
The authors conducted a comprehensive literature review using OVID to search MEDLINE, PubMed, EBSCOhost, PsycINFO, WorldCat, Cochrane, and TWU. They also used Google to explore Web pages of regulatory bodies and other institutions to find gray literature and studies. Further, the authors sought expert opinions to examine the contrasting view between policy level decisions to choose single rooms and available evidence. Finally, they also identified research and anecdotal reports in relevant healthcare design journals and peer-reviewed journals in nursing management.
The authors found 48 articles in the literature search and discuss length of stay, infection control, patient safety, nurse activities, noise levels, and patient and staff satisfaction with these types of rooms in this article. They also highlight gaps in the research.