Lean design of the pediatric intensive care unit patient room for efficient and safe care delivery
2022
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 15
Pages 369-390
Author(s): Lu, Y., Bishop, N. B., Zadeh, R. S.
Pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are often operated by specially trained registered nurses (RNs). Due to the high stress and sensitivity of these environments, optimizing RN workflows and safety protocols is important.
Added August 2022
Impact of sink location on hand hygiene compliance for Clostridium difficile infection
2015
American Journal of Infection Control
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 43
Pages 387-389
Author(s): Zellmer, C., Blakney, R., Van Hoof, S., Safdar, N.
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a common health complication arising within medical environments that can place noticeable strain on healthcare systems. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has provided hand hygiene guidelines for mitigating these infections following contact during an outbreak situation; however, various barriers may prevent compliance with these hand hygiene guidelines.
Added November 2019
The role of the built environment and private rooms for reducing central line-associated bloodstream infections
2018
PLOS ONE
Journal Article
Issue 7
Volume 13
Pages 12
Author(s): O’Neill, L., Park, S.-H., Rosinia, F.
Private patient rooms in hospital environments are widely considered a helpful defense against healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). However, the ways in which private rooms might help mitigate specific kinds of HAIs, such as central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), remain unclear and relatively unexplored.
Added August 2018
Relationship between Environmental Conditions and Nosocomial Infection Rates in Intensive Care Unit
2017
Medical Journal of Islamic World Academy of Sciences
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 25
Pages 15–18
Author(s): Şimşek, E. M., Grassie, S. S., Emre, C., Gevrek, S. Ç.
Due to the highly vulnerable state of the patients populating intensive care units (ICUs) and the health risks posed to healthcare providers working in ICUs, special attention must be given to the causes and effects of nosocomial infections within these areas.
Added June 2017
Secondary exposure risks to patients in an airborne isolation room: Implications for anteroom design
2016
Building and Environment
Journal Article
Author(s): Mousavi, E. S., Grosskopf, K. R.
Previous research has shown that negatively pressurized Airborne Infectious Isolation Rooms (AIIRs) can protect hospitals from fatal airborne pathogens such as tuberculosis. But this use of negative pressurization can simultaneously increase the chances of isolated patients contracting secondary infections, or healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs), caused by air blowing in from adjacent spaces. Research is needed to better assess the actual likelihood of secondary infections occurring in these scenarios so that steps can be taken to mitigate these risks.
Added December 2016
Impact of Neonatal Intensive Care Bed Configuration on Rates of Late-Onset Bacterial Sepsis and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonization
2015
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology
Journal Article
Issue 10
Volume 36
Pages 1173-1182
Author(s): Julian, S., Burnham, C.-A., Sellenriek, P., Shannon, W. D., Hamvas, A., Tarr, P. I., Warner, B. B.
Late-onset infections are a continuing issue, causing notable levels of morbidity and mortality in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), while also increasing the length of patient stay and financial burdens on healthcare institutions. Few previous studies have tested the hypothesis that infants in single-patient rooms have a lower risk of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization, late-onset sepsis, and death.
Added June 2016
Impact of sink location on hand hygiene compliance after care of patients with Clostridium difficile infection: a cross-sectional study
2016
BMC Infectious Diseases
Journal Article
Author(s): Deyneko, A., Cordeiro, F., Berlin, L., Ben-David, D., Perna, S., Longtin, Y.
Hand hygiene is typically identified as the most important infection control measure. Many healthcare settings have adopted alcohol-based hand rub solutions because they are extremely easy to use, are accessible, and are effective against microbes. One limitation of alcohol-based hand rubs, however, is their ineffectiveness against spore-forming organisms such as Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Thus, hand washing in sinks rather than rubbing with solutions is highly recommended after caring for patients with CDI.
Added May 2016
Is single room hospital accommodation associated with differences in healthcare-associated infection, falls, pressure ulcers or medication errors? A natural experiment with non-equivalent controls
2016
Journal of Health Services Research & Policy
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 21
Pages 147-155
Author(s): Simon, M., Maben, J., Murrells, T., Griffiths, P.
Previous studies have associated single-patient rooms with reduced infection rates, reduced medication errors, and faster patient recovery rates. In response, an increasing number of hospitals have been shifting towards an entirely single-patient room layout. Although there are plenty of studies from the U.K. providing empirical evidence for the efficacy of single-patient rooms, the United States lacks this foundation of published research, and could therefore benefit from an outcome analysis of single-patient rooms.
Added February 2016
Innovation Pilot Study: Acute Care for Elderly (ACE) Unit--Promoting Patient-Centric Care
2012
Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Author(s): Krall et al.
Older patients have different needs: cognitive impairment, chronic health issues, caregiver burden, and maintenance of functional level. These issues present challenges to healthcare organizations when caring for this population on a general medical-surgical unit.
Added January 2016
Preparing an ICU room to welcome a critically ill patient with Ebola virus disease
2014
Intensive Care Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 41
Pages 118-119
Author(s): Pasquier, P., Ficko, C., Mérens, A., Dubost, C.
Ebola virus disease is a viral hemorrhagic fever that spreads through direct contact with the body fluids of an infected animal or human. Contamination may also occur through contact with items that were recently contacted by infected bodily fluids. No spread of the disease through the air has been documented. As no specific treatment or vaccine for the virus is currently available, specially coordinated medical services are necessary to control outbreaks.
Added December 2015
Do Cost Savings from Reductions in Nosocomial Infections Justify Additional Costs of Single-Bed Rooms in Intensive Care Units? A Simulation Case Study
2015
Journal of Critical Care
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 31
Pages 194-200
Author(s): Sadatsafavi, H., Niknejad, B., Zadeh, R., Sadatsafavi, M.
Nosocomial infections are infections that are acquired in healthcare facilities. They are a key factor in decisions to construct and maintain single-patient bedrooms in intensive care units (ICUs), since single-patient rooms have been shown to greatly reduce instances of nosocomial infections. However, no prior studies have investigated whether the resource savings incurred from reducing nosocomial infections are worth the construction and maintenance costs required for single-patient bedrooms in ICUs.
Added October 2015
Infection acquisition following intensive care unit room privatization
2011
Archives of Internal Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 171
Pages 32-38
Author(s): Teltsch, D. Y., Hanley, J., Loo, V., Goldberg, P., Gursahaney, A., Buckeridge, D. L.
The authors state that healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) affect about 30% of patients in intensive care units (ICUs), subsequently affecting patient outcomes. Although single-patient rooms are recommended by the Facilities Guidelines Institute, the American Institute of Architects Academy of Architecture for Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the authors indicate that studies on the effect of the single-bed room on rates of infection have been inconclusive.
Added February 2015
Physical Environment Provisions of USP “Pharmaceutical Compounding—Sterile Preparations”
2012
American Society for Healthcare Engineering
Journal Article
Author(s): Beebe, C.
USP <797> reports standards and policies for all physical environments in which compounded sterile preparations (CSPs) are prepared, packaged, and stored. The standards apply specifically to people who prepare CSPs and must take care to reduce the risk of contamination from their behaviors, hygiene, and clothing (i.e., garb). Clinical workers whose work lies within this realm must be individually trained and evaluated to maintain the standards and reduce microbial contamination that results from contact.
Added September 2014
Process Simulation during the Design Process Makes the Difference: Process Simulations Applied to a Traditional Design
2013
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 6
Pages 58-76
Author(s): Traversari, R., Goedhart, R., Schraagen, J. M.
Minimal evidence exists regarding the design implications of using process simulation to assist in the process of designing new operating room (OR) layouts. While the traditional design process for OR layout does incorporate the experiences and insights of users, functionality testing of the OR environment is usually conducted post occupancy.
Added September 2014
A decade of adult intensive care unit design: a study of the physical design features of the best-practice examples
2006
Critical Care Nursing Quarterly
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 29
Pages 282-311
Author(s): Rashid, M., Abushousheh, A.
This article reports a study of the physical design characteristics of a set of adult intensive care units (ICUs), built between 1993 and 2003. These ICUs were recognized as the best-practice examples by the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, and the American Institute of Architects.
Added July 2014
Utilizing Integrated Facility Design to Improve the Quality of a Pediatric Ambulatory Surgery Center
2013
Pediatric Anesthesia
Journal Article
Author(s): Pelly, N., Zeallear, B., B., Reed, M., Martin, L.
Integrated Facility Design (IFD) comes from the Toyota 3P (Production, Preparation, Process) program used to reduce initial cost, while accelerating development time.
Added May 2014
Traffic Flow in the Operating Room: An Explorative and Descriptive Study on Air Quality During Orthopedic Trauma Implant Surgery
2012
Journal of Infection Control
Journal Article
Issue 8
Volume 40
Pages 750-755
Author(s): Andersson, A.E., Bergh, I., Karlsson, J., Eriksson, B.I. MD, Nilsson,K.
Three main strategies exist to prevent surgical site infections following surgery: 1) the patient, 2) the surgical technique, 3) the surgical environment. This study focuses on optimizing the effect of the surgical environment in preventing SSIs (surgical site infections). The authors attempt to understand that the protective potential of operating room (OR) ventilation under different conditions is crucial to optimizing the surgical environment.
Added April 2014
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
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
Review of the Literature: Acuity-Adaptable Patient Room
2013
Critical Care Nursing Quarterly
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 36
Pages 251–271
Author(s): Bonuel, N. , Cesario, S.
Acuity-adaptable rooms allow patients to stay in one room from the time they are admitted to when they leave, regardless of their acuity level. These specially equipped private rooms are staffed by nurses who have the skills and training to support the complete range of care for patients with similar conditions or disease processes. The rooms are larger in size than a regular hospital room to accommodate various patients’ needs as their condition changes, such as critical care equipment, additional staff, procedures, and family members.
Added March 2014