Deliberate Perioperative Systems Design Improves Operating Room Throughput
2005
Anesthesiology: The Journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 103
Pages 406-418
Author(s): Sandberg, W. S., Daily, B., Egan, M., Stahl, J. E., Goldman, J. M., Wiklund, R. A., Rattner, D.
Operating rooms (ORs) are complex and sensitive environments that are typically expensive to operate and maintain. Minimally invasive surgical procedures are becoming increasingly more prevalent in many OR environments, while the costs of operating and maintaining OR environments are simultaneously increasing.
Added November 2018
Characteristics Associated with Low Food and Fluid Intake in Long-Term Care Residents with Dementia
2005
The Gerontologist
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 45
Pages 74-80
Author(s): Reed, P.S., Zimmerman, S., Sloane, P.D, Williams, C. S., Boustani, M.
Research conducted on residents of different nursing homes shows that the older people who had been suffering with impaired mobility and cognition face serious malnutrition resulting from insufficient food intake and dehydration problems due to less consumption of fluid intake. The resident characteristics that contribute to food and fluid intake include cognitive status, ability to drink independently, and physical limitations such as difficulty swallowing.
Added January 2016
Does privacy matter? Former patients discuss their perceptions of privacy in shared hospital rooms
2005
Nursing Ethics
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 12
Pages 156-166
Author(s): Malcolm, H. A.
According to the author, protection of patient privacy is a new legislation in New Zealand. The author indicates that anecdotal evidence suggests that the legislation was not well understood either by healthcare professionals or by patients.
Added March 2015
Does patient-centered design guarantee patient safety?: Using human factors engineering to find a balance between provider and patient needs
2005
Journal of Patient Safety
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 1
Pages 145-153
Author(s): France, D. J., Throop, P., Walczyk, B., Allen, L., Parekh, A. D., Parsons, A., Rickard, D., Deshpande, J. K.
According to the authors, “human factors engineering is the study of human beings and their interaction with products, environment, and equipment”, and that over the years it has evolved from systems- centered to user-centered to socially-centered care.
Added December 2014
Effect of morning bright light treatment for rest-activity disruption in institutionalized patients with severe alzheimer's disease
2005
International Psychogeriatrics
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 17
Pages 221–236
Author(s): Dowling, G. A., Hubbard, E. M., Mastick, J., Luxenberg, J. S., Burr, R. L., Van Someren, E. J. W.
Studies suggest that exposure to light of adequate intensity and duration at the proper time of day can be associated with a positive improvement in the quality and duration of sleep. Since institutional environments tend to have very low light levels, residents may not be exposed to enough bright light to entrain the circadian clock to the 24-hour day. In particular, bright light treatment has been shown to improve sleep–wake cycle disturbances in some Alzheimer’s disease (AD) subjects.
Added September 2014
Legionnaires' Disease in Long-Term Care Facilities: Overview and Proposed Solutions
2005
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 53
Pages 875-880
Author(s): Seenivasan, M. H., Yu, V. L., Muder, R. R.
Legionnaires’ disease is a notable problem in acute care settings. Legionnaires’ disease has been shown to be an important cause of community- and hospital-acquired pneumonia. In hospitals with Legionella colonization of the water systems, hospital-acquired legionellosis is frequently endemic, accounting for 10% to 40% of hospital-acquired pneumonias. Legionnaires’ disease also accounts for 2% to 15% of community-acquired pneumonia. In contrast, the incidence of Legionnaires’ disease in long-term care residents is not clearly delineated.
Added July 2014
Intra-unit patient transports: time, motion, and cost impact on hospital efficiency
2005
Nursing Economic$
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 23
Pages 157-164
Author(s): Hendrich, A. L., Lee, N.
Transferring patients can be stressful and confusing for patients and their families. In addition, risks to the patient increase during transfers. Thus, many healthcare facilities are trying to reduce patient transfers by providing more flexible patient rooms.
Added May 2014
Effectiveness of overhead lifting devices in reducing the risk of injury to care staff in extended care facilities
2005
Ergonomics
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 48
Pages 187-199
Author(s): Engst, C., Chhokar, R. , Miller, A., Tate, R. B., Yassi, A.
Healthcare facilities often install mechanical lifts to help staff avoid injuries from patient handling. However, some mechanical lifts require more time and space and are not always as comfortable, safe, and secure as manual patient handling. Few studies have used a prospective controlled design to evaluate the effectiveness of ceiling lifts in reducing risk of musculoskeletal injury to care staff; increasing staff satisfaction; and assessing preferred methods of lifting, transferring, and repositioning residents.
Added April 2014
The Effect of Aromatherapy Massage With Music on the Stress and Anxiety Levels of Emergency Nurses
2005
Australian Emergency Nursing Journal
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 8
Pages 43-50
Author(s): Davis, C., Cooke, M., Holzhauser, K., Jones, M., Finucane, J.
Nurses who work in emergency and intensive care units and new graduates suffer from high levels of stress, which is associated with sick leave. Some research shows that massage with aromatherapy relieves stress. However, this research is not specific to emergency room nursing staff.
Added April 2014
Noise levels in Johns Hopkins Hospital
2005
Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 118
Pages 3629-3645
Author(s): Busch-Vishniac, I. J., West, J. E., Bamhill, C., Hunter, T., Orellana, D., Chivukula, R.
Patients, visitors, and staff often complain about the amount of noise in hospital settings. However, in addition to being annoying and disrupting sleep, some research suggests that high sound levels negatively affect the speed of wound healing and the number of medications, as well as contributing to staff stress and burnout.
Added April 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
Effects of exam-room computing on clinician-patient communication: A longitudinal qualitative study.
Issue 8
Volume 20
Pages 677-682
Author(s): Frankel, R., Altschuler, A., George, S., Kinsman, J, Jimison, H., Robertson, N, Hsu, J.
Computers are becoming ubiquitous in patient exam rooms. This research investigated their influence on patient-clinician communication. Of particular interest is a discussion of how the spatial organization of the exam room can support patient-clinician communication. Best were arrangements in which patient and clinician were positioned basically shoulder to shoulder so each could simultaneously view the computer screen.
Added March 2014
Improving the quality of palliative care for ambulatory patients with lung cancer
2005
British Medical Journal
Journal Article
Issue 7503
Volume 330
Pages 1309-1313
Author(s): Von Plessen, C., Aslaksen, A.
This is a case study based at a Norwegian university hospital where people receive treatment for lung cancer. Many changes were made to processes at the treatment facility and a few to the physical plant. The interventions, in total, “increased satisfaction for patients and staff, reduced waiting time, and reduced variability of waiting time,” according to the paper.
Added February 2014
Noise Levels in a General Surgical Ward: a descriptive study
2005
Journal of Clinical Nursing
Journal Article
Author(s): Christensen, M.
The noise levels in many UK hospitals exceed those recommended by the World Health Organization, yet are so prevalent that healthcare providers tend to think of them as just part of the working environment. However, current ward-based research is dated, perhaps indicating that the control of noise in these areas is perceived as insurmountable.
Added January 2014
Impact of Environmental Factors on Efficacy of Upper-Room Air Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation for Inactivating Airborne Mycobacteria
2005
Environmental ScienceTechnology
Journal Article
Issue 24
Volume 39
Pages 9656-9664
Author(s): Xu, P., Kujundzic, E., Peccia, J., Schafer, M., Moss, G., Hernandez, M., Miller, S.
Hospitals are high exposure environments where transmission of infectious diseases is a large concern. To prevent this Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) systems are used as an engineering control. A common application is upper-room irradiation for which germicidal lamps are suspended from ceilings/ attached to walls, while the bottom of the lamps are shielded to direct radiation. The principle is to maximize UV radiation exposure to airborne microorganisms in the upper part of the room while minimizing radiation exposure to patients in the lower part.
Added October 2012
Effects of different interior decorations in the seclusion area of a psychiatric acute ward
2005
Nordic Journal of Psychiatry
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 59
Pages 19-24
Author(s): Vaaler, A.E., Morken, G., Linaker, O.M.
Seclusion, or containment of a patient in an enclosed area, is a common practice in psychiatric acute wards. Traditionally such areas have been used for the dual purpose of meeting the safety and containment needs of behaviorally disturbed patients, and obtaining a decrease in sensory and emotional input (based on the belief that external stimuli would cause patients to suffer excessive mental anxiety). The design and furnishings of the seclusion area are influenced by this need to reduce external stimuli and maintain safety. They are typically sparsely furnished minimizing risk of any physical harm.
Added October 2012
Designed sound and music environment in postanaesthesia care units—–a multicentre study of patients and staff
2005
Intensive and Critical Care Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 21
Pages 220-225
Author(s): Thorgaard, P., Ertmann, E., Hansen, V., Noerregaard, A., Spanggard, L.
Music is arguably the non-pharmocological intervention with the most evidence to support it. It has been succesfully used to ease patient pain perception, anxiety and distress for many pre and post procedure settings. However, a majority of the studies implement music intervention at one on one level (providing patients with headphones etc to listen to music). Little research has investigated the design significance of improving the sound environment through music.
Added October 2012
Effects of music therapy on women’s physiologic measures, anxiety, and satisfaction during cesarean delivery.
2005
Research in Nursing and Health
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 28
Pages 453-461
Author(s): Chang, S-C., Chen, C-H.
Due to many factors Taiwan has a high rate of cesarean birth deliveries. Childbirth causes high stress in women. In case of cesarean birth such stress increases because it is a major surgery. For many women cesarean birth has negative emotional consequences. Music therapy, the systematic application of music to aid in the treatment of physiological and psychological aspects of an illness or disability, has been shown in multiple studies to help reduce anxiety and stress, distract attention and increase threshold of pain during painful procedures. Music therapy has the potential to help women recover from cesarean deliveries.
Added October 2012
Daylight exposure and the other predictors of burnout among nurses in a University Hospital
2005
International Journal of Nursing Studies
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 42
Pages 549-555
Author(s): Alimoglua, M. K., Donmez, L.
The purpose of the study was to investigate if daylight exposure in work setting could be placed among the predictors of job burnout. The sample was composed of 141 nurses who work in Akdeniz University Hospital in Antalya, Turkey. All participants were asked to complete a personal data collection form, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Work Related Strain Inventory and the Work Satisfaction...
Added October 2012
Influence of intensive coronary care acoustics on the quality of care and physiological state of patients
2005
International Journal of Cardiology
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 98
Pages 267-270
Author(s): Hagerman, I., Rasmanis, G., Blomkvist, V. , Ulrich, R. , Eriksen, C. A., Theorell, T.
Unexpected noise has long been recognized to have a negative influence in the rehabilitation of patients. The study was performed in an academic hospital, where patients with acute chest pain were evaluated in the intensive coronary heart unit (CCU).
Added October 2012
