Environment of care: Is it time to reassess microbial contamination of the operating room air as a risk factor for surgical site infection in total joint arthroplasty?
2017
American Journal of Infection Control
Journal Article
Issue 11
Volume 45
Pages 1267-1272
Author(s): Parvizi, J., Barnes, S., Shohat, N., Edmiston, C. E.
Operating rooms (ORs) typically are equipped with several layers of defense against the spread of airborne contaminants (also known as airborne microbial populations) that can lead to surgical site infections (SSIs) in patients undergoing surgical procedures that involve device implantation.
Added June 2018
Towards a Framework to Integrate Facilities Management Cost Effective Parameters in Design Process
2017
International Journal of Engineering and Technology
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 9
Pages 4515-4526
Author(s): Islam, R., Mohamed, S. F., Bjørberg, S., Misnan, M. S., Yusof, Z. M.
Added January 2018
Time, space and technology in radiotherapy departments: how do these factors impact on patients' experiences of radiotherapy?
2017
European Journal of Cancer Care
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 26
Pages e12354
Author(s): Merchant, S., O'Connor, M., Halkett, G.
Radiation therapy is one of the more common treatments available to cancer patients. Radiation therapists (RTs) are the clinical providers who interact with patients and provide the treatment. The authors note that different organizations like the National Comprehensive Cancer Network in the U.S., the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence in the UK, and the National Breast Cancer Center and National Cancer Care Initiative in Australia either have or recommend developing guidelines for palliative, supportive, and psychosocial care in oncology settings. Literature shows that patients have reported anxiety about the illness, the treatment, and its impact on their everyday activities, which in turn has the potential for non-compliance with the treatment requirements. In this study, RTs, nurses, and patients in two treatment centers (of two different large public hospitals in Australia) were observed and interviewed. The study sought to assess to what extent the physical and cultural environment of the treatment unit was supportive for care and communication. Findings indicate that the physical design of the two centers was not conducive for patient-centered care or for effective communication between patient and RT.
Added December 2017
Lighting assessment of ergonomic workstation for radio diagnostic reporting
2017
International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics
Journal Article
Issue Supplement C
Volume 57
Pages 42-54
Author(s): Leccese, F., Salvadori, G., Montagnani, C., Ciconi, A., Rocca, M.
Diagnostic imaging involves traditional radiology, computerized tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Each of these procedures involves assessment, planning, execution, reporting, and verifying results. Present-day technology involves the processing of images by computer software. Reporting involves viewing these images on diagnostic monitors. While the authors contend that there...
Added December 2017
Emergency Nurses’ Perceptions of Efficiency and Design: Examining ED Structure, Process, and Outcomes
2017
Journal of Emergency Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 44
Pages 274–279
Author(s): Fay, L., Carll-White, A., Real, K.
Emergency departments (EDs) must work to improve efficiency in order to maintain standards of safe and effective care. Physical structures can significantly impact efficiency, and processes defined as the activities of emergency care can also play a role in efficiency. Outcomes are the perceptions of efficiency along with satisfaction to work or be treated in the designed environment. Rarely has the physical environment been studied in an emergency department especially when examining the relationships of structure, process, and outcome. Using a hierarchical linear regression the authors determined that all structures and processes examined were associated with efficiency and design.
Added November 2017
Update of the scientific evidence for specifying lower limit relative humidity levels for comfort, health, and indoor environmental quality in occupied spaces (RP-1630)
2017
Science and Technology for the Built Environment
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 23
Pages 30-45
Author(s): Derby, M. M., Hamehkasi, M., Eckels, S., Hwang, G. M., Jones, B., Maghirang, R., Shulan, D.
Added September 2017
Factors Shaping the Human Exposome in the Built Environment: Opportunities for Engineering Control
2017
Environmental Science & Technology
Journal Article
Issue 14
Volume 51
Pages 7759-7774
Author(s): Dai, D., Prussin, A. J., Marr, L. C., Vikesland, P. J., Edwards, M. A., Pruden, A.
Added September 2017
A design for a more efficient, upper room germicidal ultraviolet air disinfection luminaire
2017
Lighting Research & Technology
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 49
Pages 788–799
Author(s): Milonova, S., Brandston, H. M., Rudnick, S., Ngai, P., Simonson, K., Rahman, S. F., Nardell, E.
Added June 2017
Environmental audits and process flow mapping to assess management of solid waste and wastewater from a healthcare facility: an Italian case study
2017
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 189
Pages 239
Author(s): Vaccari, M., Montasser, W., Tudor, T., Leone, L.
Despite the growing number of policies and legislative drivers aiming for more sustainable resource management approaches and general environmental improvements, there is still a need for more research focusing on the improvement of waste and wastewater management.
Added June 2017
Noise Reduction in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Quality Improvement Initiative
2017
American Journal of Medical Quality
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 33
Pages 177-184
Author(s): Ahamed, M. F., Campbell, D., Horan, S., Rosen, O.
Elevated noise levels are regularly associated with adverse health effects among patients within healthcare environments. Infants are particularly vulnerable to elevated noise levels due to the immaturity of their auditory pathways, implying that neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have an even greater responsibility for reducing noise levels.
Added June 2017
Nursing staff’s experiences of working in an evidence-based designed ICU patient room—An interview study
2017
Intensive and Critical Care Nursing
Journal Article
Author(s): Sundberg, F., Olausson, S., Fridh, I., Lindahl, B.
Intensive care unit nurses use technology and systems that may not have existed when their nursing units were constructed. Nurses often must work around machines and in narrow spaces to deliver complex care to critically ill patients.
Added June 2017
Shifting Landscapes: The Impact of Centralized and Decentralized Nursing Station Models on the Efficiency of Care
2017
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 10
Pages 80-84
Author(s): Fay, L., Carll-White, A., Schadler, A., Isaacs, K., Real, K.
As healthcare facilities continue to implement evidence-based designs and increase in overall size, there is a lack of research examining how these changes affect the efficiency of patient care processes. Along with the physical growth of modern healthcare environments, advances in medical technology have increased the amount of multitasking required of nurses and other healthcare workers.
Added May 2017
Balancing the Human Touch with the Need for Integrating Technology in Ambulatory Surgical Environments: Barriers and Facilitators to Nursing Work and Care Team Interactions
2017
Journal of Interior Design
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 42
Pages 39-65
Author(s): Joseph, A., Wingler, D., Zamani, Z.
There is a lack of information to support the design of the rapidly growing number of ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs). These centers have become more popular as trends in reimbursement, technology, and services have evolved. Research is needed to inform how the built environment of ambulatory surgical environments impacts the critical interactions between people, supplies, and equipment.
Added February 2017
Analysis of circadian stimulus allowed by daylighting in hospital rooms
2017
Lighting Research and Technology
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 49
Pages 49-61
Author(s): Acosta, I, Leslie, R. P., Figueiro, M. G.
Light is the major synchronizer of circadian rhythms to the 24-hour solar day. Compared to the visual system, the circadian system requires more light to be activated and is more sensitive to short-wavelength light. For those confined indoors, such as patients or residents in care facilities, the lack of access to daylight, or electric lighting providing a comparable amount, spectrum, distribution, duration, and timing, may compromise their human health and well-being.
Added November 2016
Flying solo: A review of the literature on wayfinding for older adults experiencing visual or cognitive decline
2017
Applied Ergonomics
Journal Article
Author(s): Bosch, S. J., Gharaveis, A.
Added August 2016
