Nurses’ Perception of Single-Occupancy Versus Multioccupancy Rooms in Acute Care Environments: An Exploratory Comparative Assessment
2006
Applied Nursing Research
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 19
Pages 118-125
Author(s): Chaudhury, H., Mahmood, A., Valente, M.
As people are living longer and the baby boomers age, the demand for hospital beds will increase. As new facilities are built to handle this influx of patients, the challenge for hospital designers and administrators is to design patient rooms that promote therapeutic goals, foster positive patient outcomes, and function as intensive care rooms. Recent research suggests that single-occupancy rooms are more suitable for infection control and patient care than multioccupancy rooms. However, no research has been done about nursing staff members’ perception of single-occupancy and multioccupancy patient rooms in acute care settings as it relates to patient care.
Added April 2014
Enhancing the traditional hospital design process: a focus on patient safety
March 2004
The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Safety
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 30
Pages 115-24
Author(s): Reiling, J.G., Knutzen, B.L., Wallen, T.K., McCullough, S. , Miller, R., Chernos, S.
The current study is an overview of innovative system engineering and patient safety factors, named as the Synergy model that a hospital system utilized to design their new facility.
Added April 2014
Environmental evaluation for workplace violence in healthcare and social services
2008
Journal of Safety Research
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 39
Pages 237-50
Author(s): McPhaul, K.M. , Murrett, K., Flannery, K. , Rosen, J., Lipscomb, J., London, M.
The purpose of this project was to contribute specific, evidence–based guidance to the healthcare and social services employer communities regarding the use of environmental design to prevent violence.
Added April 2014
Noise and related events in neonatal intensive care unit
2001
Acta Paediatrical Taiwanica
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 42
Pages 212-217
Author(s): Chang, Y. J., Lin, C. H., Lin, L. H.
Noise contributes to environmental stress to premature infants, who often spend long periods of time in neonatal intensive care units (NICU). Some research indicates that noise contributes to higher incidences of hearing loss, as well as cardiovascular, respirator, endocrine, and behavioral deficits. Some of the noise might be reduced by studying different aspects of NICU settings (i.e., wards, personnel, equipment, and procedures).
Added April 2014
Challenges in Design and Transition to a Private Room Model in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
2006
Advances in Neonatal Care
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 6
Pages 271-280
Author(s): Carlson, B., Walsh, S., Wergin, T., Schwarzkopf, K., Ecklund, S.
The need for neonatal intensive care units (NICU) is increasing at a time when research suggests their designs need to change to provide a developmentally appropriate healing environment. One approach is a private room NICU model versus a large multibed ward. However, such a radical design change could be challenging to implement.
Added April 2014
Physical Design, Social Climate, and Staff Turnover in Skilled Nursing Facilities
1990
Journal of Long Term Care Adminstration
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 18
Pages 22-27
Author(s): Brennan, P. L., Moos, R. H.
High staff turnover in skilled nursing facilities increases workloads, recruitment, hiring, and training as well as negatively impacts morale, social relationships, and quality of care. Examining the overall work context of nursing homes—including their physical design features and social climate—could help to better understand and improve employee retention.
Added April 2014
Incidents relating to the intra-hospital transfer of critically ill patients
2004
Intensive Care Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 8
Volume 30
Pages 1579-1585
Author(s): Beckmann, U., Gillies, D. M., Berenholtz, S. M., Wu, A. W., Pronovost, P.
Transportation of critically ill patients between hospitals can increase complications. Intrahospital transportation poses many of the same risks. Examining these incidents could uncover ways to improve patient safety during transportation.
Added April 2014
Using a Task Analysis to Describe Nursing Work in Acute Care Patient Environments
2009
Journal of Nursing Administration
Journal Article
Issue 12
Volume 39
Pages 537-547
Author(s): Battisto, D., Pak, R., Vander Wood, M. A., Pilcher, J. J.
A growing body of research demonstrates linkages between workplace design and processes in healthcare facilities with staff and patient safety, operational efficiency, staff satisfaction, and medical errors. There has been less emphasis on the role of the built environment in helping or hindering care delivery. Research is needed on the contextualized activities performed by nurses and how nurses spend their time to measure the effects of interventions aimed at redesigning care to improve safety or efficiency or to understand the implications of policy changes for nursing practice.
Added April 2014
Effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention on falls in nursing home residents
2003
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 51
Pages 306–313
Author(s): Becker, C., Kron, M., Lindemann, U., Sturm, E., Eichner, B., Walter-Jung, B., Nikolaus, T.
Older people are particularly susceptible to falls and fractures due to mobility limitations and physical instability. Falls and fractures commonly result in functional deterioration, increased medical costs, and increased burden for all involved in the care setting. Attempts to prevent falls and reduce fall and fracture incidence rates both at home and in long-term care facilities span from educational interventions to adjustments of medication intake to environmental adaptations.
Added March 2014
Simple Additions to the Pharmacy Waiting Area May Increase Patient Satisfaction
2004
Journal of the American Pharmacists
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 44
Pages 630-632
Author(s): Cheng, C.
Simple changes to pharmacy waiting areas, such as hanging posters related to the prescription filling process, are linked to patient satisfaction with a pharmacy.
Added March 2014
Music and its effect on anxiety in short waiting periods: a critical appraisal
Issue 2
Volume 14
Pages 145-155
Author(s): Cooke, M., Chaboyer, W., Hiratos, M.
The authors review research on the influence of listening to music on anxiety levels among patients having day surgery and found that, indeed, music does seem effective in reducing anxiety among day-surgery patients.
Added March 2014
Perceived Quality of Care: The Influence of the Waiting Room Environment
2002
Journal of Environmental Psychology
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 22
Pages 345-360
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.
Added March 2014
A controlled trial of the impact of exposure to positive images of dentistry on anticipatory dental fear in children
Issue 6
Volume 34
Pages 455-459
Author(s): Fox, C., Newton, J.
Many children are anxious about visiting the dentist, but viewing positive images of dentistry for 2 minutes in the waiting room prior to their appointment significantly reduced study participants’ anticipatory dental anxiety.
Added March 2014
Medical Gas Cylinder and Bulk Tank Storage
2012
American Society for Healthcare Engineering
Monograph
Author(s): McLaughlin, S., Dagenais, D.
There are particular requirements for storing medical gas cylinders as well as requirements for bulk tank storage in healthcare settings; these regulatory requirements exist specifically for cylinders that are not in use. In use refers to cylinders being used by a patient, or attached to equipment and ready for immediate use, or located in patient rooms about to be used. Requirements vary depending on the total amount of cubic feet of gas needing to be stored, with the most stringent regulations for more than 3,000 cubic feet of gas, less stringent requirements for 300-3,000 cubic feet of gas, and the least stringent requirements for less than 300 cubic feet of gas. These requirements are in place to reduce the risk of accident and injury.
Added March 2014
Converting Medical/Surgical Units for Safe Use by Psychiatric Patients: The Physical and Fiscal Risks
2011
American Society for Healthcare Engineering
Monograph
Author(s): Hunt, J. M., Sine, D. M.
When repurposing medical/surgical units as behavioral health units, there are a significant number of elements within the physical environment that must be modified to support the specialized needs of the patients and reduce the risk of self-harm and harm to others. While intention for self-harm cannot be reliably assessed, suicide is a major concern on psychiatric units, and therefore there is a need to design the unit as if all patients may be at risk for self-harm.
Added March 2014
Are Pediatric Practice Settings Adolescent Friendly? An Exploration of Attitudes and Preferences
2004
Clinical Pediatrics
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 43
Pages 55-61
Author(s): Tivorsak, T., Britto, M., Klostermann, B., Nebrig, D., Slap, G.
Adolescents would like the treatment settings they experience to be designed to reflect their design preferences. This is a comprehensive, early study clearly delineating the details of those preferred environments.
Added March 2014
Health Care Wayfinding Integrates Four Aspects to Become Carefinding
2010
American Society for Healthcare Engineering
Monograph
Author(s): Cooper, R.
Carefinding is a term that refers to an evidence-based approach to designing wayfinding systems in healthcare settings, catering to the needs of the users of those spaces, particularly patients and their caregivers. Successful wayfinding in healthcare facilities requires consideration of the user experience, the wayfinding process, the wayfinding plan, and implementation of the plan.
Added March 2014
Implementing a Pediatric Obesity Care Guideline in a Freestanding Children’s Hospital to Improve Child Safety and Hospital Preparedness
2012
Journal of Pediatric Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 27
Pages 707–714
Author(s): Porter, R. M., Thrasher, J, Krebs, N. F.
Over the past three decades, the number of children who are overweight has grown, with the greatest increase among those categorized as severely obese. Providing healthcare for these children is complicated, yet there is little information about the patient, provider, and institutional needs for the severely obese pediatric patient.
Added February 2014
Nurses’ Perceptions of How physical Environment Affects Medication Errors in Acute Care Settings
2011
Applied Nursing Research
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 24
Pages 229–237
Author(s): Mahmood, A., Chaudhury, H., Valente, M.
Medication errors in hospitals occur for a number of reasons, stemming from staff and organizational issues to aspects of the physical environment. Errors include omissions, giving the wrong type or amount of medication, and giving the wrong patient unneeded medication. Research has indicated that a significant amount of these errors are avoidable.
Added February 2014
Adding additional grab bars as a possible strategy for safer hospital stays
2010
Applied Nursing Research
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 23
Pages 45-51
Author(s): Tzeng, H.-M., Yin, C.-Y., Schechtman,S.
Inpatient falls are the most commonly reported incidents in hospitals, yet they are largely avoidable and, therefore, an unsolved issue in patient care. It comes as no surprise that patient falls tend to occur most frequently in patient rooms, patient bathrooms, and hallways—the places in which patients spend the majority of their time during their hospital stay. Falls are attributed to breakdowns in communication between patients and caregivers, inadequate assistance, and also the design of the physical environment.
Added February 2014
