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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.

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Displaying 141 - 160 of 292

Flooring as an intervention to reduce injuries from falls in healthcare settings: an overview

Author(s): Drahota, A., Gal, D., Windsor, J.
As the elderly population grows, the risk of falls in healthcare settings and of injuries resulting from falls will increase, as this population exhibits higher risk for falling due to age-related factors. Researchers have long focused on variables that impact fall prevention in healthcare settings; yet, since prevention of all falls is not possible, and about 30% of patient falls result in injury, there is growing interest in understanding strategies for injury prevention, to reduce the more serious cost and health implications of falls.
Key Point Summary
Added March 2014

Converting Medical/Surgical Units for Safe Use by Psychiatric Patients: The Physical and Fiscal Risks

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.
Key Point Summary
Added March 2014

Nurses’ Perceptions of How physical Environment Affects Medication Errors in Acute Care Settings

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.
Key Point Summary
Added February 2014

Servicescape: Physical environment of hospital pharmacies and hospital pharmacists’ work outcomes

Author(s): Lin, B.Y.-J., Leu, W.-J., Breen, G.-M., Lin, W.-H.
Researchers have studied the healthcare work environment from a number of angles, from an organizational behavior perspective honing in on motivation and reward, to an occupational and environmental perspective concerned with comfort and ergonomics, to a pathogenic perspective interested in exposure to disease. The idea of a “servicescape” has arisen in healthcare marketing to investigate the impact of the physical environment of service settings on employees’ psychological states and perceptions.
Key Point Summary
Added February 2014

Noise in the Operating Room—What Do We Know? A Review of the Literature

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.
Key Point Summary
Added January 2014

Sleep and the sleep environment of older adults in acute care settings

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.
Key Point Summary
Added January 2014

Achieving EBD Goals Through Flooring Selection & Design

Author(s): Nanda, Upali, Malone, Eileen, Joseph, Anjali
Added April 2013

The sickening rug: A repeating static pattern that leads to motion-sickness like symptoms

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.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2012

Effects of different interior decorations in the seclusion area of a psychiatric acute ward

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.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2012

Does the type of flooring affect the risk of hip fracture?

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.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2012

The effect of bedrails on falls and injury: a systematic review of clinical studies

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.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2012

Carpeting in hospitals: an epidemiological evaluation

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.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2012

Healthcare Environmental Terms and Outcome Measures: An Evidence-based Design Glossary

Author(s): Quan, X., Malone, E., Joseph, A., Pati, D.
Added October 2012

Designing for Patient Safety: Developing Methods to Integrate Patient Safety Concerns in the Design Process

Author(s): Joseph, A., Taylor, E. M. , Quan, X., Jelen, M.
Added October 2012

Limiting the Spread of Infection in the Health Care Environment

Author(s): Lankford, M..G., Collins, S. , Youngberg, L., Rooney, D. M. , Warren, J. R. , Noskin, G. A.
Added October 2012

Designing a 21st Century Hospital: Environmental Leadership for Healthier Patients and Famillies

Author(s): Atwood, C. , Levin, D., Vittori, G. , Cohen, G., Harvie, J. , Brannen, L. , Rossi, M. , Guenther, R. , Schettler, T, Lent, T.
Added October 2012

Consumer Perceptions of the Healthcare Environment: An Investigation to Determine What Matters

Author(s): The Picker Institute
Added October 2012

Do appealing hospital rooms increase patient evaluations of physicians, nurses, and hospital services?

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.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2012

Health Promotion by Design in Long-Term Care Settings

Author(s): Joseph, A.
Added October 2012

Environmental quality and healing environments: A study of flooring materials in a healthcare telemetry unit.

Author(s): Harris, D.
Added October 2012