Understanding Green Building Design and Healthcare Outcomes: Evidence-Based Design Analysis of an Oncology Unit
2016
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Journal Article
Author(s): Campion, N., Thiel, C. L., Focareta, J., Bilec, M. M.
The United States healthcare industry is a major part of the economy as well as a significant contributor to carbon dioxide emissions and other environmental issues. Green building design (GBD) attempts to offset environmental impacts of buildings, and recently designers have been combining GBD with evidence-based design (EBD) in order to create facilities that positively impact both the external and internal environment.
Added June 2016
Does Space Matter? An Exploratory Study for a Child-Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient Unit
2016
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 10
Pages 23-44
Author(s): Trzpuc, S. J., Wendt, K. A., Heitzman, S. C., Skemp, S., Thomas, D., Dahl, R.
Added June 2016
Design to improve visibility: Impact of corridor width and unit shape
2016
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 9
Pages 35-49
Author(s): Hadi, K., Zimring, C.
Added June 2016
Ergonomical aspects of anaesthetic practice
2016
Indian Journal of Anaesthesia
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 60
Pages 306
Author(s): Raghavendra, R.S.
Anesthesiologists typically act as data analyzers, investigators, and planners for forthcoming surgical events, but only after patients and their families have been convinced that the procedure is appropriate. With the field of anesthesiology rapidly developing, it is imperative that workstations are optimized so that procedures can be conducted efficiently and safely. Ergonomics is defined as a discipline that explores and applies information regarding human characteristics, requirements, limitations, and abilities to the development, design, engineering, and testing of equipment, systems, and occupations.
Added June 2016
The SCOPE of Hospital Falls: A Systematic Mixed Studies Review
2016
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 9
Pages 86-109
Author(s): Taylor, E., Hignett, S.
Added June 2016
Impact of sink location on hand hygiene compliance after care of patients with Clostridium difficile infection: a cross-sectional study
2016
BMC Infectious Diseases
Journal Article
Author(s): Deyneko, A., Cordeiro, F., Berlin, L., Ben-David, D., Perna, S., Longtin, Y.
Hand hygiene is typically identified as the most important infection control measure. Many healthcare settings have adopted alcohol-based hand rub solutions because they are extremely easy to use, are accessible, and are effective against microbes. One limitation of alcohol-based hand rubs, however, is their ineffectiveness against spore-forming organisms such as Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Thus, hand washing in sinks rather than rubbing with solutions is highly recommended after caring for patients with CDI.
Added May 2016
Experimental identification of potential falls in older adult hospital patients
2016
Journal of Biomechanics
Journal Article
Issue 7
Volume 49
Pages 1016-1020
Author(s): Cloutier, A., Yang, J., Pati, D., Valipoor, S.
Added May 2016
Antimicrobials in Hospital Furnishings: Do They Help Reduce Healthcare-Associated Infections?
2016
Health Care Without Harm
Report
Author(s): Schettler, T.
Added May 2016
Route complexity and simulated physical ageing negatively influence wayfinding
2016
Applied Ergonomics
Journal Article
Author(s): Zijlstra, E., Hagedoorn, M., Krijnen, W. P., van der Schans, C. P., Mobach, M. P.
In this study, “wayfinding” is defined as determining and following a path or route between an origin and a destination. Wayfinding can be particularly difficult in complex and sometimes stressful environments like hospitals, and as hospitals continue to expand to meet increasing healthcare demands, their layouts face the possibility of becoming more difficult to navigate. Wayfinding is particularly difficult for the elderly, who may have memory issues and weakened physical abilities. Support from the environment is necessary to help elderly people function at their best, so it is important to understand what elements of the designed environment either benefit or confuse them.
Added May 2016
Determining high touch areas in the operating room with levels of contamination
2016
American Journal of Infection Control
Journal Article
Issue 11
Volume 44
Pages 1350-1355
Author(s): Link, T., Kleiner, C., Mancuso, M. P., Dziadkowiec, O., Halverson-Carpenter, K.
Added May 2016
Effectiveness of an extended period of flashing lights and strategic signage to increase the salience of alcohol-gel dispensers for improving hand hygiene compliance
2016
American Journal of Infection Control
Journal Article
Issue 7
Volume 44
Pages 782-785
Author(s): Rashidi, B., Li, A., Patel, R., Harmsen, I. E., Sabri, E., Kyeremanteng, K., D'Egidio, G.
Hospitals are often full of information and attention-seeking signs, colors, and noises, making it difficult for something as inconspicuous as alcohol-gel hand dispensers to stand out apart from everything else. Therefore if a hospital wishes to increase rates of hand hygiene compliance, the design and location of hand sanitizer dispensers is of high importance. In a previous study, the authors of this paper showed that affixing a flashing red light to alcohol-gel dispensers for one week doubled hand hygiene rates from 12.4% to 25.3%.
Added May 2016
Risk factors associated with interfacility transfers among patients with Clostridium difficile infection
2016
American Journal of Infection Control
Journal Article
Issue 9
Volume 44
Pages 1027-1031
Author(s): Awali, R. A., Kandipalli, D., Pervaiz, A., Narukonda, S., Qazi, U., Trehan, N., Chopra, T.
Added May 2016
Meeting the Needs of Visually Impaired People Living in Lifetime Homes
2016
Journal of Housing For the Elderly
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 30
Pages 123-140
Author(s): Rooney, C., Hadjri, K., Rooney, M., Faith, V., McAllister, K., Craig, C.
Lifetime Homes standards (LTHS) are a group of mandatory public-sector housing design interventions used in the U.K. They attempt to provide a model that ensures adaptable and accessible homes for the entire duration of an occupant’s stay. Changes in one’s physical environment, much like the ones implemented by LTHS, could help reduce the impact of disabilities such as visual impairment, and could help give patients different degrees of communal living with some level of independence.
Added May 2016
Profile of inpatient falls in patients with dementia: A prospective comparative study between 100% single rooms and traditional multibedded wards
2016
Journal of Clinical Gerontology and Geriatrics
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 7
Pages 87-92
Author(s): Knight, S., Singh, I.
A previous study estimates that the number of people with dementia in the U.K. could reach over 1 million by the year 2025. This possibility places added pressure on U.K. hospitals to develop safer methods for taking care of patients with dementia. Dementia is associated with impaired mobility, and previous studies have shown that individuals with dementia are two to three times more likely to fall. Inpatient falls (IFs) account for nearly two-fifths of the patient safety incidents reported to the National Reporting and Learning System, and the risk of IF is highest in single-patient rooms. There are very few studies that examine the impact of dementia and IF in single rooms as compared with traditional multi-bed wards.
Added May 2016
Presence of human noroviruses on bathroom surfaces: a review of the literature
2016
International Journal of Environmental Health Research
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 26
Pages 420-432
Author(s): Leone, C. M., Tang, C., Sharp, J., Jiang, X., Fraser, A.
Added May 2016
The design and initial evaluation of visual cues in carpets to assist walking
2016
The Journal of The Textile Institute
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 107
Pages 376-385
Author(s): McNeil, S. J., Tapp, L. S.
One way to reduce the occurrence of indoor falls for both elderly people and other individuals is to improve the design of floor coverings so that they can help create a safer walking environment. A growing number of studies are showing that the design of products such as carpets can specifically help older people lead more productive and independent lives by empowering them through safer opportunities for mobility.
Added May 2016
Managing Patient Falls in Psychiatric Inpatient Units: Part 2
2016
The Health Care Manager
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 35
Pages 121-133
Author(s): Abraham, S.
Added April 2016
Managing Patient Falls in Psychiatric Inpatient Units: Part 1
2016
The Health Care Manager
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 35
Pages 21-27
Author(s): Abraham, S.
A significantly higher number of patient falls occur in hospital inpatient psychiatric units than in medical-surgical areas, resulting in issues with overall patient safety. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers patient falls a concern to society due to the safety issues they pose and financial strains they can cause for institutions.
Added April 2016
To see or not to see: Investigating the links between patient visibility and potential moderators affecting the patient experience
2016
Journal of Environmental Psychology
Journal Article
Author(s): Bosch, S. J., Apple, M., Hiltonen, B., Worden, E., Lu, Yi, Nanda, U., Kim, D.
The amount of visibility between patients and nursing staff contributes significantly to the balance between feelings of security and autonomy. Hospitals in which patients are in constant view of the staff can create a sense of restricted freedom, but high visibility can also be associated with higher levels of patient safety. There has been ongoing debate within the medical community as to how a perfect balance between security and autonomy can be implemented. This study took place at a hospital with a radial nursing unit.
Added April 2016
Shaping the slats of hospital patient room window blinds for daylighting and external view under desert clear skies
2016
Solar Energy
Journal Article
Author(s): Sherif, A., Sabry, H., Wagdy, A., Mashaly, I, Arafa, R.
Many previous studies have shown how natural lighting can contribute to the healing nature of a hospital’s environment by reducing patient fatigue, stress, and length of stay. Desert locations are often characterized by continually clear skies, making control of the sunlight even more essential to patient satisfaction. It is therefore important to determine the optimal shape of window blind slats so that discomfort can be reduced without compromising levels of illumination.
Added April 2016
