× You are not currently logged in. To receive all the benefits our site has to offer, we encourage you to log in now.

Knowledge Repository

A complete, user-friendly database of healthcare design research references MoreLess about the Knowledge Repository

The Knowledge Repository is a complete, user-friendly database of healthcare design research references that continues to grow with the latest peer-reviewed publications. Start with our Knowledge Repository for all of your searches for articles and research citations on healthcare design topics. Access full texts through the source link, read key point summaries, or watch slidecasts. Expand your search and find project briefs, interviews, and other relevant resources by visiting our Insights & Solutions page.

RESEARCH IN A SNAP HOW-TO VIDEOS  ADDITIONAL RESOURCES VIEW TOUR

Supported by:

Additional content by:

Sort by

Displaying 1 - 19 of 19

Effectiveness of installing overhead ceiling lifts: Reducing musculoskeletal injuries in an extended care hospital unit.

Author(s): Ronald, L. A., Yassi, A., Spiegel, J., Tate, R. B., Tait, D., Mozel, M. R.
High rate of musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) among healthcare workers is well documented. Lifetime prevalence rates of back pain greater than 70 percent have been reported and higher incidence rates of MSI have been observed in healthcare workers compared to the general population and two other occupation groups. Mechanical lifting equipment has been recommended as an effective tool for decreasing the rate and severity of MSI in healthcare workers.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2014

Influence of an Outdoor Garden on Mood and Stress in Older Persons

Author(s): Rodiek, S. D.
Research conducted in healthcare settings shows that the presence of plants and natural environments in healthcare environments has a positive impact on patient outcome. The value of nature and gardening to the older adult is also reported in literature.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2014

Applying human factors in improving medication-use safety

Author(s): Schneider,PJ.
In this descriptive study the author summarizes the highlights of an interactive conference on human factors (HF) and t applications to improve medication safety. The author describes the various human factors concepts and tools and their applications in reducing human errors, thus improving medication safety.
Key Point Summary
Added May 2014

Fall and Injury Prevention in Older People Living in Residential Care Facilities: A Cluster Randomized Trial

Author(s): Jensen, J., Lundin-Olsson, L., Nyberg, L., Gustafson, Y.
Despite the fact that falls and resulting injuries are common in the residential care population, little is known about how to prevent falls. Research during the past 10 years around fall prevention has shown positive and negative results. Some of these inconsistent results could be explained by differences in target groups, interventions, and outcome measures.
Key Point Summary
Added May 2014

Perceptions of the Physical Environment, Stage of Change for Physical Activity, and Walking Among Australian Adults

Author(s): Carnegie, M. A., Bauman, A., Marshall, A. L., Mohsin, M., Westley-Wise, V., Booth, M. L.
The health benefits of regular physical activity are well-established. An understanding of the factors that influence physical activity behaviors is greatly needed to influence sedentary population groups to become more physically active. Psychological, physiological, demographic, and environmental factors are known to influence physical activity. The increasing interest in physical environmental factors such as pleasant walking paths away from traffic, bike paths, weather conditions, and neighborhood safety has arisen due to broader, integrated models developed to more comprehensively explain physical activity behavior.
Key Point Summary
Added May 2014

Effect of light treatment on sleep and circadian rhythms in demented nursing home patients

Author(s): Ancoli-Israel, S., Martin, J. L., Kripke, D. F., Marler, M., Klauber, M. R.
The disturbed sleep seen in nursing home residents may be due to changes in circadian rhythms. Human circadian rhythms are biological cycles of about 24 hours that include sleep/wake, body temperature, and melatonin secretion cycles. A second reason for sleep disturbances in this population may be decreased exposure to bright light. Bright light (≥ 2,000 lux) appears to be one of the most powerful synchronizers of circadian rhythms, directly influencing melatonin secretion, sleep/wake patterns, and other circadian rhythms.
Key Point Summary
Added April 2014

Medication Errors Observed in 36 Healthcare Facilities

Author(s): Barker, K. N., Flynn, E. A., Pepper, G. A., Bates, D. W., Mikeal, R. L.
The authors in this study aimed to measure and compare the medication error rates at 36 healthcare facilities in Georgia and Colorado. Three different facility types were randomly stratified and included in the study; Joint Commission accredited hospitals, Joint Commission non-accredited hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. The main aim was to observe if the medication error rates in these healthcare settings differ by facility type (by bed size) or by State.
Key Point Summary
Added April 2014

Perceived Quality of Care: The Influence of the Waiting Room Environment

Author(s): Arneill, A., Devlin, A.
This study is a pioneering effort linking the physical experience of being in physician waiting rooms with perceptions of quality of care. Researchers found that the design/conditions in doctors’ waiting rooms influenced perceptions of the quality of care delivered by the doctors associated with those spaces.
Key Point Summary
Added March 2014

Predesign and Post-occupancy Analysis of Staff Behavior in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Author(s): Shepley, M.M.
Advances in technology have resulted in an increase in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) population; allowing care for newborn babies who might have died in the absence of advanced medical care. The design of NICUs has therefore become an important concern in healthcare, and an ongoing debate is the merit of open bays over closed bays. s. Changes in design have a direct impact on staff experience, and potentially staff behavior, which in turn can impact patient care.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2012

The impact of ward design on the behaviour, occupational satisfaction and well-being of psychiatric nurses

Author(s): Tyson, G. A. , Lambert, G., Beattie, L.
Studies have shown that modifications to the physical environment of psychiatric institutions are associated with positive changes in patient behavior, attitudes and perceptions, but less attention has been paid to the impact of these changes on the nursing staff.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2012

Handwashing patterns in two dermatology clinics

Author(s): Cohen, H.A., Kitai, E., Levy, I., Ben-Amitai, D.
Handwashing has been identified as one of the most critical elements of controlling risk of hopital acquired infections. Healthcare workers hands can be a source of nosocomial infections. Adherance to hand hygience protocols is important to prevent the spread of health care-associated infections.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2012

Factors Determining Inpatient Satisfaction With Care

Author(s): Thi, P. L.N. , Briancon,S., Empereur, F., Guillemin, F.
With the growing interest in patient-centered care, patient evaluations of their own experiences have been increasingly used to improve the quality of care. Factors associated with satisfaction are thought to include the structure, process and outcome of care as well as patient sociodemographic, physical and psychological status, and attitudes and expectations concerning medical care.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2012

Relaxation music decreases the dose of patient-controlled sedation during colonoscopy: a prospective randomized controlled trial

Author(s): Lee, D.W.H, Chan, K, Poon, C, Ko, C, Chan, K, Sin, K, Chan, A.C.W
Colonoscopy is an unpleasant and stressful procedure which often requires a high doseage of sedatives for the patients. Additionally patient noncompliance with recommendations for colonoscopy procedures can become a challenge in surveilance programs for screening cancer. This study explores the effectiveness of a non-pharmocological intervention, like relaxation music, on patient-controlled sedation.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2012

A place to heal: Environmental sources of satisfaction among hospital patients

Author(s): Harris, P. B., McBride, G., Ross, C., Curtis, L.
Visits to the hospital might be infrequent, but are often associated with strong emotions. Considering patient needs reflects the growing focus on service quality and patient satisfaction, which now join clinical quality as a holistic approach to health care delivery. This study identifies sources of environmental satisfaction and dissatisfaction among hospital inpatients and examines the relative contribution of environmental satisfaction to the overall hospital experience.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2012

Medication Dispensing Errors in Community Pharmacies: A Nationwide Study

Author(s): Flynn, E. A., Dorris, N. T., Holman, G. T., Camahan, B. J., Barker, K. N
The available literature concerning medication dispensing errors provides relatively few studies that focus on community-based pharmacies, as much of the available research regarding dispensing errors has been conducted in single pharmacies that are associated with hospitals and medical centers, largely due to convenience. Although the dispensing process may be essentially the same, the validity of extending these findings to community pharmacies has yet to be tested.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2012

Effect of a rapid assessment clinic on the waiting time to be seen by a doctor and the time spent in the department, for patients presenting to an urban emergency department: a controlled prospective trial

Author(s): Ardagh, M. W. , Wells, J.E. , Cooper, K., Lyons, R., Patterson, R., O'Donovan, P.
Overcrowding in emergency departments is common in most healthcare organizations. Barriers to efficient patient flow in emergency departments (EDs) create bottlenecks through the system. Upon entry to an ED, the triage process determines how quickly someone might be seen, but this process does not take into account how quickly a patient's condition might be managed, but rather the urgency for care. By addressing an additional component of triage, it was hypothesized that ED throughout could be better managed, reducing wait times for all patients, and better utilizing limited ED resources.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2012

Do isolation rooms reduce the rate of nosocomial infections in the pediatric intensive care unit?

Author(s): Ben-Abraham, R., Keller, N., Szold, O., Vardi, A., Weinberg, M., Barzilay, Z., Paret, G.
To determine the effect of isolation rooms on the direct spread of nosocomial infections (NIs) owing to cross-colonization in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
Key Point Summary
Added August 2012

The Relationship Between Counselor Satisfaction and Extrinsic Job Factors in State Rehabilitation Agencies

Author(s): Andrew, J. D., Faubion, C. W., Palmer, C. D.
In a national study, researchers collected survey data from 315 state rehabilitation agency counselors in 16 states to examine job satisfaction and extrinsic job factors. This report provides statistical analyses and extensive descriptive data characteristics. For example, only 46% of the sample reported having a master's degree (or higher) in some form of counseling, and only 25% reported...
Key Point Summary
Added August 2012

Efficacy of high-efficiency particulate air filtration in preventing aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients with hematologic malignancies

Author(s): Hahn, T., Cummings, K. M., Michalek, A. M., Lipman, B. J., Segal, B. H., McCarthy Jr., P. L.
Invasive aspergillosis is the most serious type of infections caused by the fungus Aspergillus, affecting organs such as heart, lung, brain, and kidneys and causing symptoms such as chest pain, cough, fever, joint pain, shortness of breath, and unintentional weight loss. The fungus aspergillus is widely spread in the nature and rarely causes problems in healthy individuals.
Key Point Summary
Added August 2012