A qualitative study of hospital interior environments during the COVID-19 pandemic
2023
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 20
Pages 3271
Author(s): Bae, S.
There is a substantial body of research on the relationship between the physical environment and human health, and more recently, a growing understanding around how the healthcare environment impacts users, such as healthcare personnel.
Added February 2023
Coping and caregiving: Leveraging environmental design to moderate stress among healthcare workers in the emergency department setting
2023
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 16
Pages 261-277
Author(s): Bosch, S. J., Valipoor, S., Alakshendra, A., De Portu, G., Mohammadigorji, S., Rittenbacher, D., Black, K., Calienes, E.
Research demonstrates that healthcare work is demanding and emergency departments (EDs) are known to be particularly stressful. There is a lack of information about relationships between the built environment and the behaviors clinicians use to cope with work-related stress.
Added February 2023
Using an accessible room multisensory stimulation environment to reduce dementia associated behaviors
2022
Journal of Long-Term Care
Journal Article
Author(s): Prince, D. M., Fogarty, K. J., VanGeest, J. B., Eberth, S. D.
A growing body of literature supports using multisensory stimulation environment (MSSE) rooms to improve Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD). While enclosed MSSE applications have been tested, due to restrictions for enclosed-room access and caregiver shortages there is a need to evaluate outcomes associated with open-access MSSE areas.
Added December 2022
Noise exposure and quality of life among nurses
2022
Workplace Health & Safety
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 70
Pages 207-219
Author(s): McCullagh, M. C., Xu, J., Dickson, V. V., Tan, A., Lusk, S. L.
Research shows that the effects of high-noise environments extend beyond hearing damage. Excessive noise levels can negatively impact cardiovascular health, mental health, sleep, and lead to tinnitus. Healthcare work environments are inherently noisy due to paging systems, telephones, monitor alarms, treatment equipment, and ice machines.
Added November 2022
Emergency psychiatric assessment, treatment, and healing (EmPATH) unit decreases hospital admission for patients presenting with suicidal ideation in rural America
2022
Academic Emergency Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 29
Pages 142-149
Author(s): Kim, A. K., Vakkalanka, J. P., Van Heukelom, P., Tate, J., Lee, S.
The number of patients in Emergency Departments (EDs) with mental health issues and suicide ideation has been on the rise, and studies outline the impact on outcomes such as delays in care and ED overcrowding and boarding. Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment, and Healing (EmPATH) units support increased access to mental healthcare with reduced burdens on EDs.
Added February 2022
Operating room nurses’ experiences of limited access to daylight in the workplace – a qualitative interview study
2021
BMC Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 20
Pages 227
Author(s): Golvani, J., Roos, L., Henricson, M.
Artificial light can result in headaches, fatigue, and decreased eyesight. Lack of natural daylight can cause vitamin D deficiency, sleep difficulty, and mood and memory changes, including depression. Surgical nurses spend long hours in windowless environments, under artificial lights, with few opportunities to go outside during work.
Added November 2021
Family members´ experiences of the end-of-life care environments in acute care settings – a photo-elicitation study
2018
International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being
Journal Article
Author(s): Hajradinovic, Y., Tishelman, C., Lindqvist, O., Goliath, I>
Research demonstrates that environmental features in varied healthcare settings can impact patient and staff outcomes. Room occupancy, acoustic environment, visual contact with nature, sound and lighting, ergonomics, and the work environment design are among the features with documented impacts on staff and patient health.
Added April 2020
Dignified care for older people: Mixed methods evaluation of the impact of the hospital environment – single rooms or multi-bedded wards
2016
Healthy Aging Research
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 5
Pages 1-8
Author(s): Bevan, V., Edwards, C., Woodhouse, K., Singh, I.
Added September 2019
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
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
Workplace design for the Australian residential aged care workforce
2018
Australasian Journal on Ageing
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 37
Pages 194-201
Author(s): Naccarella, L., Newton, C., Pert, A., Seemann, K., Williams, R., Sellick, K., Dow, B.
This study explored the impact of the workplace physical environment on staff in a residential aged care (RAC) facility in Australia. There is a current and projected shortage of RAC workers in Australia. Historically, research has focused on traditional methods to support the RAC workforce, including staff recruitment, staff wages, funding training, career creation, regulations, work design, staff conditions, staff retention, workforce planning, and new models of care. This study sought to determine the impact of workplace design features on staff.
Added January 2018
The impact of single and shared rooms on family-centred care in children's hospitals
2017
Journal of Clinical Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 11-12
Volume 26
Pages 1584-1596
Author(s): Curtis, P., Northcott, A.
Family-centered care (FCC) is a concept used to treat children in healthcare facilities around the world. FCC is generally defined as a set of beneficial partnerships among families, patients, and providers promoting information sharing, respect and dignity, and collaboration and participation among all parties involved. As modern healthcare facilities continue to see a trend towards increased numbers of single-patient rooms, the influence of the built environment on the dynamics of FCC remains largely unstudied.
Added December 2017
A Diagnostic Post-Occupancy Evaluation of the Nacadia® Therapy Garden
2017
International Journal Of Environmental Research And Public Health
Journal Article
Author(s): Sidenius, U., Karlsson Nyed, P., Lygum, V. L., Stigsdotter, U. K.
The Nacadia® therapy garden was built based on the evidence-based health design in landscape architecture (EBHDL) model developed by the University of Copenhagen.
Added December 2017
Structuring the Environmental Experience Design Research Framework through Selected Aged Care Facility Data Analyses in Victoria
2017
Sustainability
Journal Article
Issue 12
Volume 9
Pages 2172
Author(s): Ma, N., Chau, H.-W., Zhou, J., Noguchi, M.
There is a strong relationship between the behavior of building occupants and the spaces they use. The design of such spaces affects their psychological well-being in ways that are not fully understood.
Added December 2017
Patients’ Perspectives on the Design of Hospital Outpatient Areas
2017
Buildings
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 7
Pages 117
Author(s): Zhao, Y., Mourshed, M.
More and more designers and other stakeholders are emphasizing that the design of healthcare facilities need to be informed by patient perspectives. Authors indicate that even though the intent in the architecture and construction industry is to incorporate patient-centered design, there is little research reflecting the perspectives on the design factors in healthcare facilities.
Added December 2017
Blue-Enriched Lighting for Older People Living in Care Homes: Effect on Activity, Actigraphic Sleep, Mood and Alertness
2017
Current Alzheimer Research
Journal Article
Issue 10
Volume 14
Pages 1053-1062
Author(s): Hopkins, S., Morgan, P. L., Schlangen, L. J. M., Williams, P., Skene, D. J., Middleton, B.
Residents of long-term care homes suffer from natural light deprivation and other age-related physical conditions. This includes changes in sleep patterns and a decrease in sleep efficiency. Lack of light exposure negatively affects circadian systems and consequently affects sleep.
Added November 2017
Influence of soundscape and interior design on anxiety and perceived tranquillity of patients in a healthcare setting
2016
Applied Acoustics
Journal Article
Issue Supplement C
Volume 104
Pages 135-141
Author(s): Watts, G., Khan, A., Pheasant, R.
The authors open their paper with a brief introduction on tranquil spaces and their relevance in a healthcare setting – improved hospital recovery rates, stress reduction, and more. According to the authors, tranquil spaces are spaces having a pleasant and calming effect – typically natural environments – specifically defined by low manmade sounds. The authors allude to the necessity of creating...
Added September 2017
Room for improvement: A randomised controlled trial with nested qualitative interviews on space, place and treatment delivery
2017
British Journal of Sports Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 53
Pages 359-367
Author(s): Sandal, L. F., Thorlund, J. B., Moore, A. J., Ulrich, R. S., Dieppe, P. A., Roos, E. M.
The physical environment of a hospital can impact its clinical outcomes and is connected to a patient’s sense of well-being. Literature also indicates that construction and renovation of healthcare facilities in the US are relying increasingly on evidence-based design to achieve better clinical outcomes and reduce costs.
Added September 2017
Perspectives on the Role and Synergies of Architecture and Social and Built Environment in Enabling Active Healthy Aging
2016
Journal of Aging Research
Journal Article
Author(s): Chrysikou, E., Rabnett, R., Tziraki, C.
Added September 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
