Automated Fall Detection with Quality Improvement “Rewind” to Reduce Falls in Hospital Rooms
2014
Journal of Gerontological Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 40
Pages 13-17
Author(s): Rantz, M. J., Banerjee, T. S., Cattoor, E., Scott, S., Skubic, M. & Popescu, M.
This study uses Microsoft Kinect motion sensors to detect patient falls in a manner that protects patient privacy and promotes cost-efficiency. The Kinect sensor uses a pattern of infrared light to produce an in-depth and 3D, ghostlike image that can provide information on patient falls while maintaining patient privacy.
Added January 2016
Ergonomics Principles Associated with Laparoscopic Surgeon Injury/Illness
2012
Human Factors
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 54
Pages 1087-1092
Author(s): Miller, K., Benden, M.., Pickens, A., Shipp, A., & Zheng, Q.
Although laparoscopic procedures significantly benefit patients in terms of decreased recovery times and improved outcomes, they contribute to mental fatigue and musculoskeletal problems among surgeons. A variety of ergonomic interventions and applications are implemented by surgeons to reduce health problems.
Added January 2016
Thermal Comfort Standards, Measured Internal Temperatures and Thermal Resilience to Climate Change of Free-running Buildings: A Case-Study of Hospital Wards
2012
Building and Environment
Journal Article
Author(s): Lomas, K. J. & Giridharan, R.
There is increasing debate about the impact that climate change may have on the internal summertime temperatures in UK buildings because future summers are likely to be both warmer and drier and there is likely to be an increase in the occurrence of extreme temperatures.
Added January 2016
Innovation Pilot Study: Acute Care for Elderly (ACE) Unit--Promoting Patient-Centric Care
2012
Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Author(s): Krall et al.
Older patients have different needs: cognitive impairment, chronic health issues, caregiver burden, and maintenance of functional level. These issues present challenges to healthcare organizations when caring for this population on a general medical-surgical unit.
Added January 2016
Care Home Design for People with Dementia: What do People with Dementia and Their Family Carers Value?
2011
Aging & Mental Health
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 15
Pages 548-556
Author(s): Innes, A., Kelly, F., Dincarslan, O.
A ‘dementia-friendly’ environment is argued to compensate for disability and should consider both the importance for the person with dementia of his/her experiences within the environment and also the social, physical, and organizational environments that impact on these experiences.
Added January 2016
On SHiPs and Safety: A Journey of Safe Patient Handling in Pediatrics
2014
Journal of Pediatric Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 29
Pages 641-650
Author(s): Huffman, G. M., Crumrine, J., Thompson, B., Mobley, B., Roth, K. and Roberts, C.
Nursing personnel have repeatedly been ranked among professionals that are most frequently impacted by musculoskeletal injuries. While research in this area has traditionally focused on injuries that occur with adult patients, the growing epidemic of obesity in children makes this a relevant topic to pediatric nurses as well.
Added January 2016
Applying Lean Six Sigma for Innovative Change to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
2015
Journal of Nursing Administration
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 45
Pages 185-187
Author(s): Haenke. R & Stichler, J. F.
This case study outlined the application of the Lean Six Sigma quality improvement framework to a post-anesthesia care unit redesign project.
Added January 2016
Specialized Design for Dementia
2013
Perspectives in Public Health
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 133
Pages 151-158
Author(s): Habell, M.
Designing for people with dementia is a major need in elderly care buildings. However, it is difficult to design for this population, as the parameters of dementia itself are often vague. The author also notes that the registration requirements in the UK for a care home make no distinction between the type of dementia or the severity of the dementia.
Added January 2016
Light for Nurses’ Work in the 21st Century: A Review of Lighting, Human Vision Limitations, and Medication Administration
2014
Journal of Nursing Care Quality
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 29
Pages 287-294
Author(s): Graves, K., Symes, L., & Cesario, S. K.
While there has been previous documentation about the impact of the built environment on staff efficiency, little has been documented about the role of architectural lighting on staff’s ability to perform work tasks. The authors cite specific examples of how medications are often distributed on night shifts, sometimes when nurses use pen lights so as not to disturb patients.
Added January 2016
Pod Nursing on a Medical/Surgical Unit
2014
Journal of Nursing Administration
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 44
Pages 207-211
Author(s): Friese, C. R., Grunawalt, J. C., Bhullar, S., Bihlmeyer, K., Chang, R., & Wood, W.
The project reported in this article uses a Pod Nursing (PN) care delivery model to enhance patient-nurse proximity and a team-based patient assignment to improve select nurse and patient outcomes.
Added January 2016
Non-Pharmacological Interventions in Long-term Care: Feasibility and Recent Trends
2014
Journal of Gerontological Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 40
Pages 10-14
Author(s): Fitzsimmons, S., Barba, B., Stump, M. & Bonner, E.
This article discusses the use of non-pharmacological interventions as part of an effort to minimize the negative effects of antipsychotic drug use on patients with cognitive impairment or perceived behavioral issues. Aspects of the built environment were included.
Added January 2016
Building and Testing a Patient-centric Electronic Bedside Communication Center
2013
Journal of Gerontological Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 30
Pages 15-19
Author(s): Dykes, P. C., Carroll, D. L., Hurley, A. C., Benoit, A., Chang, F., Pozzar, R., and Caligtan. C. A.
This study builds upon previous research that demonstrated improved outcomes when patients had access to tailored information related to falls.
Added January 2016
Role of Bed Design and Head-of-Bed Articulation on Patient Migration
2015
Journal of Nursing Care Quality
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 30
Pages E1-E9
Author(s): Davis, K. G., & Kotowski, S. E.
Patients often migrate towards the foot of the bed. Two reasons are cited for this occurrence: gravity over time and bed design. Patients are exposed to friction from sliding on the mattress.
Added January 2016
Increased Daylight Availability Reduces Length of Hospitalization in Depressive Patients
2015
European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Journal Article
Author(s): Canellas, F., Mestre, L., Belber, M., & Frontera, G.
Research studies have documented the efficacy of bright light on people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Bright light has been documented to have a therapeutic efficiency equivalent to most antidepressant medications.
Added January 2016
The Business Case for Building Better Neonatal Intensive Care Units
Journal of Perinatology
2014
Journal Article
Issue 11
Volume 34
Pages 811-815
Author(s): Shepley, M., Smith, J.A., Sadler, B.L. & White, R.D.
There is increasing evidence that the physical environment of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has a tangible effect on the vulnerable infants who spend the first crucial weeks or months of their life there.
Added January 2016
How Can We Help Staff transition to a New NICU design?
2015
Journal of Neonatal Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 21
Pages 180-185
Author(s): Broom, M., Gardner, A., Kecskes, Z. , Kildea, S.
This article highlights the results of a literature review undertaken to identify transition strategies for staff who moved from an open plan unit layout to a single-room design (SRD) neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) layout.
Added January 2016
Environmental Congruence and Work-Related Stress in Acute Care Hospital Medical-Surgical Units: A Descriptive, Correlational Study
2011
Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 5
Pages 23-42
Author(s): Dendaas, N.
Nursing is known to be a particularly stressful job, and this often has direct ties to nursing shortages in the United States. Research attempting to better understand hospital nursing work environments has typically focused on social and organizational aspects of the work experience. Yet, the physical environment, which is known to impact work and organizational outcomes, has been studied to a much lesser extent.
Added January 2016
An Empirical Examination of Patient Room Handedness in Acute Medical-Surgical Settings
2010
Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 4
Pages 11-33
Author(s): Pati, D., Cason, C., Harvey Jr., T.E., Evans, J.
The initial cost of designing hospitals with standardized same-handed patient rooms is typically much higher than the cost of hospitals designed with mirror-image configurations. This is because same-handed units require separate utility lines for each patient room rather than shared medical gas lines and bathroom plumbing lines between every two rooms.
Added January 2016
Computer Aided Lighting Requirement Analysis and Design for a Better Health Care Facility
2013
International Journal of Computer Applications
Journal Article
Issue 11
Volume 78
Pages 12-18
Author(s): Tanuja, S. & Shailesh, K.R.
This project pertains to assessing the lighting requirements of a super specialty/teaching hospital and generating lighting solutions that are also energy efficient for some of the key spaces in the facility.
Added January 2016
Destination Bedside
2012
The Journal of Nursing Administration
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 42
Pages 256-265
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.
Added January 2016
