Direct cellular vs. indirect pager communication during orthopaedic surgical procedures: A prospective study
2009
Technology and Health Care
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 17
Pages 149-157
Author(s): Ortega, G. R., Taksali, S., Smart, R., Baumgaertner, M. R.
Staff-to-staff communication is critical to quality and efficient healthcare. Physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers all use various methods of communication in their daily work. Difficulties in staff communication often lead to interruptions and delays in patient care, variation in response time, medical errors, violation of privacy, and dissatisfaction in patient and staff.
Added October 2012
Person-Environment Interactions Contributing to Nursing Home Resident Falls
2009
Research in Gerontological Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 2
Pages 287-294
Author(s): Hill, E. E., Nguyen, T. H., Shaha, M., Wenzel, J. A., DeForge, B. R., Spellbring, A. M.
Falls are common for older adults, with significant consequences, including injuries and even death as well as healthcare costs. However, few studies have looked at environmental factors, such as lighting, equipment, and slippery floor surfaces, as potential risk factors for falls by nursing home residents. This study explores the risk factors associated with resident falls in a nursing home using a focus group.
Added January 2014
Impact of place of residence on relationship between quality of life and cognitive decline in dementia.
2009
Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 23
Pages 395-400
Author(s): Missotten, P., Thomas, P., Squelard, G., Di Notte, D., Fontaine, O., Paquay, L., Ylieff, M.
In patients with dementia and their family members and caregivers, quality of life (QOL) is an important parameter; much attention is given to its improvement. However, the theory of improved QOL at home compared with that at institutional residences for dementia patients has not been tested by a comparison of two groups of people according to their place of residence. Furthermore, there are few studies of populations of people with dementia, living at home or in an institution, distributed across all different stages of cognitive decline.
Added November 2014
Are call light use and response time correlated with inpatient falls and inpatient dissatisfaction?
2009
Journal of Nursing Care Quality
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 24
Pages 232-242
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.
Added November 2014
The Effect of Environmental Design on Reducing Nursing Errors and Increasing Efficiency in Acute Care Settings: A Review and Analysis of the Literature
2009
Environment and Behavior
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 41
Pages 755-786
Author(s): Chaudhury, H., Mahmood, A., Valente, M.
In acute care settings, the physical environment plays an important role in staff efficiency and patient safety. Some research suggests that poor environments can result in staff stress, anxiety, and distractions due to noise; artificial lighting; improper or inadequate ventilation; and disorienting layouts of nursing units. There is less research on how environmental factors affect nursing staff health, effectiveness, errors, and job satisfaction.
Added April 2014
The effects of refurbishment on residents' quality of life and wellbeing in two Swedish residential care facilities
2009
Health & Place
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 15
Pages 717–724
Author(s): Falk, H., Wijk, H., Persson, L.-O
The prevalence of elderly people with cognitive impairment in Swedish residential care facilities has been estimated to be approximately 50%, usually resulting in integrated populations with both cognitively intact and impaired residents. The physical environment must respond to the changing characteristics of their residents and variations within individuals over time to be able to provide for more than a single stage of fragility.
Added May 2014
A plasma display window? – the shifting baseline problem in a technologically mediated natural world
2009
Journal of Environmental Psychology
Journal Article
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.
Added November 2014
Clinical review: The impact of noise on patients’ sleep and the effectiveness of noise reduction strategies in intensive care units
2009
Critical Care
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 13
Pages 208–216
Author(s): Xie, H., Kang, J., Mills, G. H.
The World Health Organization recommends that noise levels in hospitals stay below 30 dBA at night to allow for better rest, yet excessive noise is prevalent in many healthcare settings, including intensive care units (ICUs). Research indicates that, since the 1960s, noise levels in hospitals increased by an average of 0.38 dBA (day) and 0.42 dBA (night) per year. Other research reports that the noise level in ICUs ranges from 50 to 75 dBA, with a night peak level soaring to 103 dBA. It’s easy to see why sleep disturbance is common among these vulnerable patients.
Added February 2014
Effect of Sacred Space Environment on Surgical Patient Outcomes: A Pilot Study
2009
International Journal for Human Caring
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 13
Pages 49-59
Author(s): Schmock, B. N., Breckenridge, D. M., Benedict, K.
With the growing trend to patient-centered care, nurses are often tasked to evaluate how care is delivered. The perioperative environment is highly technical in nature and is often perceived as cold, while creating a sense of fear in patients. This study's purpose was to create an alternative healing environment (termed a sacred space and comprised of both environmental and nurse behavioral factors) compared to the traditional environment for surgical patients in the operating room (OR).
Added October 2012
Unit-Related Factors That Affect Nursing Time With Patients: Spatial Analysis of the Time and Motion Study
2009
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 2
Pages 5-20
Author(s): Hendrich, A. L., Chow, M., Bafna, S., Choudhary, R., Heo, Y.
Nurses spend many hours at hospitals caring for patients. There was a link established by previous studies between the amount of time spent in patient rooms and health outcomes.
Added September 2014
