Effects of Emergency Department Physical Design Elements on Security, Wayfinding, Visibility, Privacy, and Efficiency and its Implications on Staff Satisfaction and Performance
2018
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 12
Pages 72-88
Author(s): Zamani, Z.
While it is commonly known that emergency departments (EDs) are often challenging and stressful work environments, it is less understood how the physical design of the ED environment contributes to staff performance and satisfaction, especially in the context of five important subtopics: security, visibility, wayfinding, privacy, and efficiency.
Added September 2018
Relationship Between ICU Design and Mortality
2010
Chest
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 137
Pages 1022-1027
Author(s): Leaf, D. E., Homel, P., Factor, P. H.
While it is widely accepted that the architectural design of healthcare facilities can influence patient health outcomes, there is a lack of research exploring whether patients receiving treatment in intensive care unit (ICU) beds with poor visibility from a central nursing station have different health outcomes compared to patients with greater visibility to healthcare staff.
Added September 2018
Pilot study to measure wheelchair users’ space requirements in the bathroom
2018
Journal of Enabling Technologies
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 12
Pages 129-140
Author(s): Morales, E., Gamache, S., Routhier, F., Rousseau, J., Doyle, O.
In healthcare facilities around the world, many construction codes pertaining to building accessibility standards for patients using mobility devices (such as wheelchairs) have remained unchanged despite the introduction of newer mobility devices and changing patient demographics.
Added September 2018
What makes a garden in the elderly care facility well used?
2019
Landscape Research
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 44
Pages 256-269
Author(s): Shi, S. L., Tong, C. M., Marcus, C. C.
The World Health Organization estimates that by 2050, 22% of the world’s population will be over the age of 60. As the population of this age group continually increases, healthcare providers are constantly striving to improve the quality of long-term care facilities so that they can provide better experiences for elderly patients.
Added September 2018
Sink-Related Outbreaks and Mitigation Strategies in Healthcare Facilities
2018
Current Infectious Disease Reports
Journal Article
Issue 10
Volume 20
Pages 42
Author(s): Parkes, L. O., Hota, S. S.
Hand hygiene activities, such as simple handwashing procedures within designated sinks, have been regarded as an effective way to prevent infections for over a century. As hospitals increase in size and are expected to provide treatment to increasingly large patient populations in the future, hand hygiene protocols and sink designs should be continually assessed so that rates of infection remain as minimal as possible.
Added August 2018
Optimal spaces for those living with dementia: Principles and evidence
2019
Building Research & Information
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 47
Pages 734-746
Author(s): Barrett, P., Sharma, M., Zeisel, J.
The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies dementia as a major cause of dependency among elderly populations around the world, with roughly 50 million people affected at the time of this writing.
Added August 2018
Legibility of floor plans and wayfinding satisfaction of residents in Care and Attention homes in Hong Kong
2018
Australasian Journal on Ageing
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 37
Pages E139-E143
Author(s): Tao, Y., Gou, Z., Lau, S. S.-Y., Lu, Y., Fu, J.
This study takes place in Hong Kong, where “Care and Attention” homes are defined as healthcare facilities treating patients with moderate mental and physical impairments. Hong Kong’s high population density directly affects healthcare infrastructure; accordingly, this study focuses on a high-density, high-population Care and Attention home.
Added August 2018
Objective and subjective evaluation of psychiatric ward redesign
1984
The American Journal of Psychiatry
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 141
Pages 639-644
Author(s): Whitehead, C. C., Polsky, R. H., Crookshank, C., Fik, E.
At the time of this study, relatively little research had been done to explore the potential benefits of incorporating architectural designs geared specifically towards improved patient well-being in psychiatric treatment environments. A “psychoenvironmental” model incorporating therapeutic architectural designs into psychiatric healthcare environments was developed before the publication of this study; however, this particular model had not yet been examined empirically.
Added August 2018
Facing the challenge of patient transfers: Using ceiling lifts in healthcare facilities
2008
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 2
Pages 6-16
Author(s): Vieira, E. R., Miller, L.
Manual patient transfers contribute to a higher rate of injury for healthcare providers. Manual patient transfers present a high risk of injury and nurses are at significant risk for transfer-related injury, including low back problems.
Added August 2018
Establishing an acute care nursing bed unit size: Employing a decision matrix framework
2008
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 1
Pages 122-132
Author(s): Ritchey, T., Pati, D.
Deciding on the optimal number of beds for an acute care unit requires the consideration of elements including how the unit fits with existing and adjacent structures; how clinical information systems will be used in unit operations; nursing workforce characteristics; patient safety; and advocacy.
Added August 2018
Reinterpreting the hospital corridor: “Wasted space” or essential for quality multidisciplinary clinical care?
2008
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 2
Pages 17-29
Author(s): Carthey, J.
This paper reviews the literature on the functions of corridors in the healthcare setting and highlights the need to reconsider these spaces as a functional component of an effective healthcare organization.
Added August 2018
Healing environments: What design factors really matter according to patients? An exploratory analysis
2016
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 10
Pages 87-105
Author(s): Schreuder, E., Lebesque, L., Bottenheft, C.
Six themes that may contribute to healing environments: spatial comfort, safety and security, autonomy, sensory comfort, privacy, and social comfort were identified from the literature. This Netherlands-based study evaluated how the six themes and associated design characteristics could be prioritized to maximize well-being. Each theme was described.
Added August 2018
Does the redesign of a psychiatric inpatient unit change the treatment process and outcomes?
2013
Psychiatric Services
Journal Article
Issue 8
Volume 64
Pages 804-807
Author(s): Urbanoski, K. A., Mulsant, B. H., Novotna, G., Ehtesham, S., Rush, B. R.
The overall “atmosphere” of a psychiatric treatment facility could be defined through the availability of patient autonomy and support from peers, the presence of aggressive behavior within the ward, and the general sense of ward organization and rule enforcement.
Added August 2018
The Role of Hospital Design in Reducing Anxiety for Pediatric Patients
2018
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 11
Pages 66-79
Author(s): Cartland, J., Ruch-Ross, H. S., Carr, L., Hall, A., Olsen, R., Rosendale, E., Ruohonen, S.
Since the 1960s, researchers have been studying the psychological trauma experienced by children receiving treatment in hospitals. Previous studies have observed instances of post-traumatic stress disorder, increased aggression, separation anxiety, and disrupted patterns of sleep in children discharged from hospitals.
Added July 2018
ICU nurses' experiences of environmental elements and their meaning for patient care at an ICU: A qualitative content analysis
2019
Nordic Journal of Nursing Research
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 39
Pages 59-67
Author(s): Petersson, E., Wångdahl, L., Olausson, S.
Previous research on the intensive care unit (ICU) environment has focused primarily on outcomes for patients (e.g., infection prevention, delirium, and satisfaction). There is very little research examining the impact of the ICU environment on staff.
Added June 2018
Environment of care: Is it time to reassess microbial contamination of the operating room air as a risk factor for surgical site infection in total joint arthroplasty?
2017
American Journal of Infection Control
Journal Article
Issue 11
Volume 45
Pages 1267-1272
Author(s): Parvizi, J., Barnes, S., Shohat, N., Edmiston, C. E.
Operating rooms (ORs) typically are equipped with several layers of defense against the spread of airborne contaminants (also known as airborne microbial populations) that can lead to surgical site infections (SSIs) in patients undergoing surgical procedures that involve device implantation.
Added June 2018
Understanding Design Vulnerabilities in the Physical Environment Relating to Patient Fall Patterns in a Psychiatric Hospital: Seven Years of Sentinel Events
2019
Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 25
Pages 134-145
Author(s): Bayramzadeh, S., Portillo, M., Carmel-Gilfilen, C.
Finding effective ways to prevent patient falls and fall-related injuries has been an ongoing struggle and debate for many modern medical practitioners. Previous studies have shown that nearly 30% of falls that occur in hospital settings result in injuries and, subsequently, additional treatments.
Added June 2018
Door openings in the operating room are associated with increased environmental contamination
2018
American Journal of Infection Control
Journal Article
Issue 8
Volume 46
Pages 954-956
Author(s): Perez, P., Holloway, J., Ehrenfeld, L., Cohen, S., Cunningham, L., Miley, G. B., Hollenbeck, B. L.
Opening doors during surgical procedures, which occurs increasingly often when more staff members are occupying an operating room, can lead to higher amounts of bacteria that may pose health risks to patients and operational issues for institutions.
Added May 2018
Long-term efficacy of a self-disinfecting coating in an intensive care unit
2014
American Journal of Infection Control
Journal Article
Issue 11
Volume 42
Pages 1178-1181
Author(s): Tamimi, A. H., Carlino, S., Gerba, C. P.
Intensive care units (ICUs) provide care to patient popIntensive care units (ICUs) provide care to patient populations that are often particularly vulnerable to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), leading researchers and designers alike to investigate how the surfaces of objects can be treated to reduce the presence of HAI-causing organisms.
Added May 2018
Reduced health care-associated infections in an acute care community hospital using a combination of self-disinfecting copper-impregnated composite hard surfaces and linens
2016
American Journal of Infection Control
Journal Article
Issue 12
Volume 44
Pages 1565-1571
Author(s): Sifri, C. D., Burke, G. H., Enfield, K. B.
Although significant progress has been made in the effort to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in hospitals over the past decade, facilities are still working to meet the HAI reduction goals set by the Department of Health & Human Service’s 2009 itinerary.
Added May 2018
