Noise in the Operating Room—What Do We Know? A Review of the Literature
2010
Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 25
Pages 380-386
Author(s): Hasfeldt, D., Laerkner, E., Birkelund, R.
Noise is a general stressor and should be avoided in the operating room (OR). However, over the last 10 years, while the focus has been on preventing air pollution and maximizing sterility in the OR, very little attention has gone toward preventing noise pollution. Meanwhile, there is more and more noisy technological equipment in the OR, and it can be assumed that problems with noise in the OR have not decreased.
Added January 2014
Sleep and the sleep environment of older adults in acute care settings
2008
Journal of Gerontological Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 34
Pages 15-21
Author(s): Missildine, K.
Not every patient has difficulty sleeping in an acute care setting, but it is common. Environmental factors, such as light and noise, can interfere with sleep, further compromising an existing sleep problem. Environmental light, considered a primary cue for setting the internal clock and maintaining normal day/night rhythms, is often different in acute care settings compared to home and may affect sleep.
Added January 2014
The sickening rug: A repeating static pattern that leads to motion-sickness like symptoms
2011
Perception
Journal Article
Author(s): Bonato, F., Bubka, A., Graveline, V.
Flooring is a prominent component of hospital design, with surprisingly little research on the subject. An issue that has not been researched is the impact of patterns on health and perception related issues. This paper undertakes a simulated exercise on the impact of viewing specific patterns on motion-sickness like symptons. Although there is some research on the impact of visual patterns on epilepsy patients, the effect on people without neurological disorders has not been explored.
Added November 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
Does the type of flooring affect the risk of hip fracture?
2004
Age and Ageing
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 33
Pages 242-246
Author(s): Simpson, A. H. R. W. , Lamb, S. , Roberts, P. J. , Gardner, T.N. , Grimley, E.J.
Hip fractures are a serious consequence of falls, especially for aging populations. Number of hip fractures occuring worldwide is estimated to reach 6.3 million worldwide, by the year 2050. Conventionally the issue of fractures has been looked at in terms of intrinsic factors related to the patient. Extrinsic factors that could affect the impact, such as the floor (or surface of the impact) have not been investigated in great details. This UK based study seeks to fill this gap in the research.
Added October 2012
The effect of bedrails on falls and injury: a systematic review of clinical studies
2008
Age and Ageing
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 37
Pages 368-378
Author(s): Healey, F., Oliver, D. , Milne, A., Connelly, J.B.
Falls and injury are a significant concern in healthcare and are linked to the never events. Around 1/4th of the falls in healthcare settings are from the bed. However, the literature on the role of bedrails in fall prevention is controversial and the prevailing opinion is that bedrails can be harmful and ineffective.
Added October 2012
Carpeting in hospitals: an epidemiological evaluation
1982
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 15
Pages 408-15
Author(s): Anderson, RL, Mackel, DC, Stoler, BS, Mallison, GF
Choice of flooring in a healthcare environment has tremendous cost implications. The impact of flooring on health related issues are only just beginning to be considered. A common issue of contention in healthcare design environments is the use of carpets and the implications for patient satisfaction and safety issues. While research shows that carpets may act as microbial reservoirs (especially in areas that are busy and associated with patient care) the relevance to disease, i.e. the epidemiological relevance, is not clear.
Added October 2012
Do appealing hospital rooms increase patient evaluations of physicians, nurses, and hospital services?
2003
Health Care Management Review
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 28
Pages 254-264
Author(s): Swan, JE, Richardson, LD, Hutton, JD
There is a trend to move healthcare towards hospitality, and create more appealing and less institutional environments. A key driver, not exclusive to the healthcare industry, is that physical surroundings can influence customer judgments of service performance including customer satisfaction, loyalty, favorable word of mouth, recommendations and service quality perceptions. In the context of healthcare although various studies have addressed the importance of the physical environment with respect to favorable health outcomes, few have established a correlation between physical appeal and perception of service quality.
Added October 2012
Preventing falls on an elderly care rehabilitation ward
2000
Clinical Rehabilitation
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 14
Pages 178-185
Author(s): Donald, I.P., Pitt, K., Armstrong, E., Shuttleworth, H.
Patient falls refer to patients’ unplanned descent to the floor with or without injuries to the patients. Patient falls are a leading cause of injuries and death and contribute to healthcare cost increase. Patient falls are more likely happen to elder patients and may cause special problems in rehabilitation units because falls may cause injuries and fear that impede the rehabilitation progress. It was also observed at the study site that the majority of falls happened at the bedside.
Added October 2012
Acoustics and psychosocial environment in intensive coronary care
2005
Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 62
Pages 1-8
Author(s): Blomkvist, V., Eriksen, C.A., Theorell, T., Ulrich, R., Rasmanis, G.
Research suggests that the physical environment of healthcare facilities influences patient satisfaction, pain, and infection. However, there is less research about how the design of healthcare spaces impacts staff outcomes such as job stress, work demands, fatigue, and quality of patient care.
Added October 2012
Characteristics and circumstances of falls in a hospital setting
2004
Journal of General Internal Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 7
Volume 19
Pages 732–739
Author(s): Hitcho, E., Krauss, M., Birge, S., Dunagan, W., Fischer, I., Johnson, S., Nast, P. A., Costantinou, E., Fraser, V. J.
Patient falls refer to patients’ unplanned descent to the floor with or without injuries to the patients. Patient falls are common for inpatients, averaging 2.3 to 7 falls per 1,000 patient days. About 30% of the falls lead to injuries, which contribute to higher healthcare cost. In order to prevent falls, it is very important to understand the epidemiology of patient falls, including the characteristics of fallers, the distribution and patterns of falls, contributing factors, and fall-related injuries.
Added August 2012