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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 1 - 20 of 95

A multi-component patient-handling intervention improves attitudes and behaviors for safe patient handling and reduces aggression experienced by nursing staff: A controlled before-after study

Author(s): Risør, B. W., Casper, S. D., Andersen, L.L, Sørensen, J.
Added December 2016

Investigation of Eligible Picture Categories for Use as Environmental Cues in Dementia-Sensitive Environments

Author(s): Motzek, T., Bueter, K., Marquardt, G.
Dementia often manifests in populations of elderly people who are admitted to acute care facilities. The disorienting nature of hospital environments can exacerbate the condition of dementia, leading to challenging behavior from patients that can affect staff, other patients, and the patients themselves. Previous studies have found that personalized labels and signs, such as photographic portraits of residents themselves, are effective environmental markers in long-term healthcare facilities.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2016

Surface Finish Materials: Considerations for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Author(s): Harris, D.
In this literature review, it is shown that a growing body of research has been focusing on how surface material finishes within neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) can contribute to the operational, clinical, and social aspects of health outcomes.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2016

Environmental Variables That Influence Patient Satisfaction: A Review of the Literature

Author(s): MacAllister, L., Zimring, C., Ryherd, E.
This paper is a literature review that compiles a number of studies investigating the layouts and designs of hospitals and work settings, and the influences that these environments have on health and behavioral outcomes in patients. More specifically, this review seeks to identify possible links between physical and social environmental influences to self-reported patient outcomes. The authors wish to more fully understand the elements that influence patient satisfaction, and then begin a discussion over how physical and social environments can be further analyzed to enhance satisfaction.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2016

Lost in space: The place of the architectural milieu in the aetiology and treatment of schizophrenia

Author(s): Golembiewski, J.
This article is a theoretical discussion concerning how designed and constructed environments can be significant factors in the psychogenesis of mental illnesses, particularly with non-affective psychoses. The authors believe that the current body of literature is lacking in resources that could help direct design decision-making to positively influence the well-being of mentally ill individuals. Discussing this matter may help identify specific qualities of the built environment that appear to be aetiologically related to psychosis.
Key Point Summary
Added June 2016

The Efficacy of Visual Cues to Improve Hand Hygiene Compliance

Author(s): Nevo, Igal, Fitzpatrick, Maureen, Thomas, Ruth-Everett, Gluck, Paul A., Lenchus, Joshua D., Arheart, Kristopher L., Birnbach, David J.
Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) affect patients at hospitals and other facilities. Hand hygiene compliance (HHC) among healthcare workers is important and was called upon by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2009 for improvement and sustainability.
Key Point Summary
Added June 2016

Impact of the Physical Environment of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities (RHCSF) on Staff and Residents A Systematic Review of the Literature

Author(s): Joseph, A., Choi, Y.-S., Quan, X.
Strategies related to the design of the built environment should be considered within the context of the culture of the organization and the resident population. This study of the physical environment of residential health, care, and support facilities addresses the range of settings and population, where other studies have been lacking. The literature review strongly suggests that the built environment is an important component of care provided in residential care settings.
Key Point Summary
Added May 2016

Can Hospital Form Trigger Fear Response?

Author(s): Pati, D., O’Boyle, M., Hou, J., Nanda, U., Ghamari, H.
Added April 2016

Destination Bedside

Author(s): Watkins, N., Kennedy, M., Lee, N., O’Neill, M., Peavey, E., DuCharme, M., & Padula, C.
Patient-centered care (PCC) has been at the core of healthcare reform. Improvements and advancements in Healthcare Information Technology (HIT), Electronic Health Records and inpatient unit layout have been some means that aim to achieve PCC. Also key to PCC is the alleviation of medical errors, which HIT and related technology can help achieve.
Key Point Summary
Added January 2016

Impact of the physical environment of psychiatric wards on the use of seclusion

Author(s): van der Schaaf, P. S., Dusseldorp, E., Keuning, F. M., Janssen, W. A., Noorthoorn, E. O.
Disturbed behavior and patient aggression within psychiatric wards can threaten both patient and staff safety. To manage these patients, psychiatric wards often will use coercive measures such as solitary confinement. Patient aggression arises from a complex interaction between patient characteristics, staff characteristics, and the characteristics of the physical environment of the psychiatric ward itself. Most studies have focused on the dynamics between patient and staff characteristics; little research has been done to investigate how the physical environment of psychiatric wards might influence patient aggression and subsequently the use of coercive measures.
Key Point Summary
Added October 2015

Improving Pediatric Radiography Patient Stress, Mood, and Parental Satisfaction Through Positive Environmental Distractions: A Randomized Control Trial

Author(s): Quan, X., Joseph, A., Nanda, U., Moyano-Smith, O., Kanakri, S., Ancheta, C, Loveless, E. A.
To evaluate how a positive environmental distraction intervention impacted pediatric radiography patient behavioral stress-responses, mood states, and parental satisfaction.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2015

Fall prevention and bathroom safety in the epilepsy monitoring unit

Author(s): Spritzer, S. D., Riordan, K. C., Berry, J., Corbett, B. M., Gerke, J. K., Hoerth, M. T., Crepeau, A. Z., Drazkowski, J. F., Sirven, J. I., Noe, K. H.
Injury-inducing falls are one of the most common harmful events that occur in epilepsy monitoring units (EMUs). Considering the risk provoked by epileptic symptoms such as spontaneous seizures, patients admitted to EMUs may be more likely to sustain falling injuries over patients in other areas of the hospital.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2015

Patient Safety in the Cardiac Operating Room: Human Factors and Teamwork A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Author(s): Wahr, J. A., Prager, R. L., Abernathy, J. H., Martinez, E. A., Salas, E., Seifert, P. C., Groom, R. C., Spiess, B. D., Searles, B. E., Sundt, T. M., Sanchez, J. A., Shappell, S. A., Culig, M. H., Lazzara, E. H., Fitzgerald, D. C., Thourani, V. H., Eghtesady, P., Ikonomidis, J. S., England, M. R., Sellke, F. W., Nussmeier, N. A.
The cardiac surgical operating room is a complex environment, where patient lives are saved or considerably improved with the help of sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Although outcomes are improving, adverse events still occur, many of which are preventable. This statement is the result of a review of literature that presented evidence on patient safety and interventions that worked in enhancing patient safety in the cardiac OR.
Key Point Summary
Added March 2015

Tailored lighting intervention improves measures of sleep, depression, and agitation in persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia living in long-term care facilities

Author(s): Figueiro, M. G., Plitnick, B. A., Lok, A., Jones, G. E., Higgins, P., Hornick, T. R., Rea, M. S.
In 2010, an estimated 5.1 million elderly Americans were affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD). Individuals with ADRD are often transferred into controlled environments due to common behavioral symptoms such as nocturnal wandering, disturbed sleep-wake patterns, agitation, and verbal or physical abuse.
Key Point Summary
Added March 2015

Designing for distractions: a human factors approach to decreasing interruptions at a centralised medication station

Author(s): Colligan, L., Guerlain, S., Steck, S. E., Hoke, T. R.
According to the authors, literature indicates that interruptions during the administration of medication in healthcare settings can lead to errors, and that such errors are likely to cause more harm in pediatric settings. The medication station in the study hospital is centrally located with an open design targeted to reduce nurse walking and increase time with patients.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2014

A plasma display window? – the shifting baseline problem in a technologically mediated natural world

Author(s): Kahn, P. H. Jr., Friedman, B., Brian Gill, Hagman, J., Severson, R. L., Freier, N. G., Feldman, E. N., Carrere, S., Stolyar, A.
The general purpose of this study is to test the physical and psychological effects of experiencing nature through a technology medium. Past research has shown that contact with nature can lead to “enjoyment, satisfaction, and increased levels of satisfaction with one’s home, one’s job, and with life in general” (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989, p. 173). So in an fast-changing world of technology-mediated healthcare, the question posed in this study revolves around whether simulated nature scenes can elicit the same health benefits that real nature has shown to produce.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2014

Are call light use and response time correlated with inpatient falls and inpatient dissatisfaction?

Author(s): Tzeng, H. M., Yin, C. Y.
Inpatients use call lights to seek nurses’ assistance. Although implied in patient safety, no studies have analyzed data related to the use of or response time to call lights collected by existing tracking mechanisms monitoring nursing practice.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2014

Effectiveness of installing overhead ceiling lifts: Reducing musculoskeletal injuries in an extended care hospital unit.

Author(s): Ronald, L. A., Yassi, A., Spiegel, J., Tate, R. B., Tait, D., Mozel, M. R.
High rate of musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) among healthcare workers is well documented. Lifetime prevalence rates of back pain greater than 70 percent have been reported and higher incidence rates of MSI have been observed in healthcare workers compared to the general population and two other occupation groups. Mechanical lifting equipment has been recommended as an effective tool for decreasing the rate and severity of MSI in healthcare workers.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2014

Assessing the optimal location for alcohol-based hand rub dispensers in a patient room in an intensive care unit

Author(s): Boog, M. C., Erasmus, V., de Graaf, J. M., van Beeck, E. A. H. E., Melles, M, van Beeck, E. F.
The authors allude to literature which says that compliance of hand hygiene (which is crucial to reducing the spread of infectious disease) is low among healthcare workers (HCWs). Literature also shows that alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHRs) improve hand-hygiene compliance by HCWs, which in turn is impacted by location, access to, and visibility of the ABHR dispenser.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2014

Managing Elders’ Wandering Behavior Using Sensors-based Solutions: A Survey

Author(s): Lin, Q., Zhang, D., Chen, L., Ni, H., Zhou, X.
Added November 2014