The impact of sensory stimuli on healthcare workers and outcomes in trauma rooms: A focus group study
2023
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Author(s): Bayramzadeh, S., Ahmadpour, S.
Research demonstrates that excessive sensory stimuli in healthcare settings can negatively impact patient, staff, and organizational outcomes. Because emergency department (ED) trauma areas can be especially chaotic, understanding issues related to noise, lighting, and temperature is the first step toward addressing the problem.
Added December 2023
Promoting mental health recovery by design: Physical, procedural, and relational security in the context of the mental health built environment
2023
International Journal of Mental Health Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 32
Pages 147-161
Author(s): Wilson, R. L., Hutton, A., Foureur, M.
Research shows that effective inpatient mental health care should include environments that are safe, purposeful, and stabilizing. Environments that foster physical security, support therapeutic interactions between users and systems, and promote procedural security can benefit patients, family members, and staff.
Added April 2023
On the restorative break: Understanding the role of break room design on nurse engagement and satisfaction
2023
Workplace Health & Safety
Journal Article
Issue 7
Volume 71
Pages 329-336
Author(s): Lorusso, L., Ossmann, M., Orozco, T., Lawson, L.
Research demonstrates that breaks are important in mitigating the physical, cognitive, and emotional demands of nursing work. It is important that nursing unit break areas are not only accessible but also restorative.
Added April 2023
Energy analysis and forecast of a major modern hospital
2022
Buildings
Journal Article
Issue 8
Volume 12
Pages 1116
Author(s): Liu, A., Ma, Y., Miller, W., Xia, B., Zedan, S., Bonney, B.
Globally, roughly 4.4% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions come from the health sector. In some countries, the public health sector may regularly be the leading energy user and emitter. There is diverging evidence to suggest whether regional climate patterns or building occupancy have a greater impact on energy use within healthcare facilities.
Added August 2022
Designing palliative care facilities to better support patient and family care: A staff perspective
2022
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 15
Pages 149–162
Author(s): McLaughlan, R., Richards, K., Lipson-Smith, R., Collins, A., Philip, J.
There are several factors that make palliative care unique, including longer lengths of stay, the number of visitors, and considerations around end-of-life care. Staff perceive that privacy, a homelike environment, and safety are important for their ability to provide comfort and support to both patients and families.
Added February 2022
Intensive care unit built environments: A comprehensive literature review (2005–2020)
2021
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 14
Pages 368-415
Author(s): Verderber, S., Gray, S., Suresh-Kumar, S., Kercz, D., Parshuram, C.
ICUs have been extensively studied regarding the role of the built environment in issues of patient safety and infection control, patient-staff outcomes, and the interventional role of the physical environment. The results of this comprehensive literature review (2005-2020) demonstrate an increase in design of single-bed ICUs, increase in the engagement of families in the ICU experience, acknowledgement of improving caregiver well-being, performance through designing staff amenities, increased attention to the therapeutic role of exposure to nature and lighting, and increased pandemic concerns related to containment of the COVID-19 virus.
Added May 2021
Technology integration in complex healthcare environments: A systematic literature review
2021
Applied Ergonomics
Journal Article
Author(s): Bayramzadeh, S., Aghaei, P.
Previous research shows that the way in which information displays and imaging technology are integrated into healthcare environments can impact staff workflows, patient safety, and perceptions of care. Caregivers working in trauma rooms, intensive care units (ICUs), and operating rooms (ORs) require frequent access to imaging technology; when these resources are located far away from patients, issues may arise with communication, coordination, and interruptions.
Added May 2021
An experiment of double dynamic lighting in an office responding to sky and daylight: Perceived effects on comfort, atmosphere and work engagement
2022
Indoor and Built Environment
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 31
Pages 355-374
Author(s): Hansen, E. K., Bjørner, T., Xylakis, E., Pajuste, M.
Previous research has found that indoor lighting can directly impact staff satisfaction and engagement within the workplace. New technologies allow for “double dynamic” lighting installations that can integrate with natural daylight; however, most studies have examined the effects of other dynamic installations through the use of preset lighting settings.
Added March 2021
Observational study of anaesthesia workflow to evaluate physical workspace design and layout
2021
British Journal of Anaesthesia
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 126
Pages 633-641
Author(s): Jurewicz, K. A., Neyens, D. M., Catchpole, K., Joseph, A., Reeves, S. T., Abernathy, J. H.
Most published research concerning operating theatre (OT) design addresses issues related to the overall OT rather than specific workspaces within the OT. Anaesthesia workspaces, which are defined as the areas where anaesthesia providers perform their work, are often cluttered due to small sizes and other limitations.
Added November 2020
Exploring the spatial arrangement of patient rooms for minimum nurse travel in hospital nursing units in Korea
2020
Frontiers of Architectural Research
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 9
Pages 711-725
Author(s): Lee, J., Lee, H., Shepley, M. M.
Studies have shown that when nurses have to walk long distances, time at the patient bedside is reduced and nursing fatigue and stress increase. The arrangement of patient rooms within a nursing unit can impact nurse well-being and optimize patient care.
Added September 2020
Designing for efficiency: Examining the impact of centralized and decentralized nurse stations on interdisciplinary care processes
2020
JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 50
Pages 335–342
Author(s): Fay, L., Santiago, J. E., Real, K., Isaacs, K.
Between 1980 and 2008, adult inpatient units increased in size by 118%. Size increases on this scale may negatively impact operational efficiency, waste reduction efforts, and workplace safety.
Added June 2020
An assessment of a hybrid lighting system that employs ultraviolet-A for mitigating healthcare-associated infections in a newborn intensive care unit
2020
Lighting Research & Technology
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 52
Pages 704-721
Author(s): Brons, J. A., Bierman, A., White, R., Benner, K., Deng, L., Rea, M. S.
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) affect approximately one in 25 patients in the US. One study found that an average of fewer than 50% of patient room surfaces are properly cleaned, making infection spread more easily. This study explores the use of a no-touch decontamination method that employs hybrid lighting technology with both white light and UV-A optical radiation.
Added February 2020
Particle control reduces fine and ultrafine particles greater than HEPA filtration in live operating rooms and kills biologic warfare surrogate
2020
American Journal of Infection Control
Journal Article
Author(s): Ereth, M. H., Hess, D. H., Driscoll, A., Hernandez, M., Stamatatos, F.
Modern buildings tend to feature more insulation and tighter building envelopes, which can increase concentrations of indoor pathogens, particles, and pollutants. This can lead to higher rates of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), making the control of indoor air quality critically important.
Added January 2020
Daylight and health: A review of the evidence and consequences for the built environment
2015
Lighting Research & Technology
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 47
Pages 6-27
Author(s): Aries, M. B. C, Aarts, M. P. J., van Hoof, J.
This paper is an overview of studies on the effects of daylight exposure on human health.
Added December 2019
Exploring the Effects of Clinical Exam Room Design on Communication, Technology Interaction, and Satisfaction
2019
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 12
Pages 99-115
Author(s): Zamani, Z., Harper, E. C.
The use of electronic health records (EHRs) in exam rooms is common, but research assessing the impact of EHRs on the exam experience is mixed. Limited research for healthcare design suggests exam room layouts can influence patient-provider interactions through improved information sharing.
Added February 2019
Deliberate Perioperative Systems Design Improves Operating Room Throughput
2005
Anesthesiology: The Journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 103
Pages 406-418
Author(s): Sandberg, W. S., Daily, B., Egan, M., Stahl, J. E., Goldman, J. M., Wiklund, R. A., Rattner, D.
Operating rooms (ORs) are complex and sensitive environments that are typically expensive to operate and maintain. Minimally invasive surgical procedures are becoming increasingly more prevalent in many OR environments, while the costs of operating and maintaining OR environments are simultaneously increasing.
Added November 2018
Field investigation of ambulatory clinic exam room design with respect to computing devices: A pilot study
Author(s): Saleem, J. J., Weiler, D. T., Satterly, T., Nussbaum, M. A., Chumbler, N. R., Fischer, G. M., Rehman, S. U.
Previous studies have shown that electronic health record (EHR) systems can help enhance patient-staff interactions in ambulatory care environments. However, there is no clear method for how best to integrate EHR technology into these environments.
Added October 2018
Pilot study to measure wheelchair users’ space requirements in the bathroom
2018
Journal of Enabling Technologies
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 12
Pages 129-140
Author(s): Morales, E., Gamache, S., Routhier, F., Rousseau, J., Doyle, O.
In healthcare facilities around the world, many construction codes pertaining to building accessibility standards for patients using mobility devices (such as wheelchairs) have remained unchanged despite the introduction of newer mobility devices and changing patient demographics.
Added September 2018
Designing interiors to mitigate physical and cognitive deficits related to aging and to promote longevity in older adults: A review
2018
Gerontology
Journal Article
Author(s): Engineer, A., Sternberg, E. M., Najafi, B.
As the global population of elderly people increases, healthcare providers and designers alike are faced with the question of how to continually optimize the design of healthcare environments so that a high quality of life is upheld.
Added August 2018
Establishing an acute care nursing bed unit size: Employing a decision matrix framework
2008
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 1
Pages 122-132
Author(s): Ritchey, T., Pati, D.
Deciding on the optimal number of beds for an acute care unit requires the consideration of elements including how the unit fits with existing and adjacent structures; how clinical information systems will be used in unit operations; nursing workforce characteristics; patient safety; and advocacy.
Added August 2018
