A plasma display window? – the shifting baseline problem in a technologically mediated natural world
2009
Journal of Environmental Psychology
Journal Article
Author(s): Kahn, P. H. Jr., Friedman, B., Brian Gill, Hagman, J., Severson, R. L., Freier, N. G., Feldman, E. N., Carrere, S., Stolyar, A.
The general purpose of this study is to test the physical and psychological effects of experiencing nature through a technology medium. Past research has shown that contact with nature can lead to “enjoyment, satisfaction, and increased levels of satisfaction with one’s home, one’s job, and with life in general” (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989, p. 173). So in an fast-changing world of technology-mediated healthcare, the question posed in this study revolves around whether simulated nature scenes can elicit the same health benefits that real nature has shown to produce.
Added November 2014
New Zealand children’s health camps: therapeutic landscapes meet the contract state
2000
Social Science & Media
Journal Article
Issue 7
Volume 51
Pages 1047-1059
Author(s): Kearns, R. A., Collins, D. C. A.
New Zealand started to offer children health camps in 1919, responding to the government’s increased interest in the well-being of children. Gesler recognized that the modern healthcare system failed to offer therapeutic landscapes where children could experience both physical and mental healing. It is believed that if children engage more with nature—fresh air, clean water, and beautiful scenery—this can have great healing power. Gesler went on to discover the first children’s health camps, and what started as small, localized projects became a national network of permanent camps supported by the government.
Added November 2014
A neural wayfinding mechanism adjusts for ambiguous landmark information
2010
NeuroImage
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 52
Pages 364-370
Author(s): Janzen, G., Jansen, C.
In order to find their way through their surroundings, people need to adapt to different and changing environments. Objects placed in strategic locations can serve as helpful navigational cues. Using functional magnetic resonance images (fMRI) to monitor brain activity, this study investigates how the brain is able to distinguish and process helpful information from the environment for navigational purposes.
Added November 2014
Can flooring and underlay materials reduce hip fractures in older people?
2004
Nursing Older People
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 16
Pages 16-20
Author(s): Minns, J.
Falls resulting in fracture of the hip in older people are a major health problem worldwide. Flooring that is slippery and unsuitable footwear are other major factors contributing to the onset of fractures in the home. Building design should incorporate measures to minimize the risk of falls.
Added November 2014
Why do patients in acute care hospitals fall? Can falls be prevented?
2009
Journal of Nursing Administration
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 39
Pages 299-304
Author(s): Dykes, P. C., Carroll, D. L., Hurley, A. C., Benoit, A., Middleton, B.
Despite a large quantitative evidence base for guiding fall risk assessment and not needing highly technical, scarce, or expensive equipment to prevent falls, falls are serious problems in hospitals.
Added November 2014
Caring or uncaring – meanings of being in an oncology environment
2006
Journal of Advanced Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 55
Pages 188-197
Author(s): Edvardsson, D., Sandman, P. O., Rasmussen, B.
The idea that the physical environment impacts health and well-being has been explored throughout history. In modern contexts, studies have been conducted to show how hospital design features such as art and views of natural scenery can positively influence patient experience, and how environmental variables such as sound, architecture, and color can affect different biomedical responses in...
Added November 2014
Healthcare providers' perception of design factors related to physical environments in hospitals
2012
Journal of Environmental Psychology
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 32
Pages 362-370
Author(s): Mourshed, M., Zhao, Y.
Most aspects of the physical environment having an impact on staff outcome are determined during early design stages of a building’s lifecycle. Subsequent modifications at later stages are expensive and sometimes difficult to achieve due to the multidisciplinary nature of design decision making.
Added November 2014
Factors influencing evaluation of patient areas, work spaces, and staff areas by healthcare professionals
2013
Indoor and Built Environment
Journal Article
Author(s): Sadatsafavi, H., Walewski, J., Shepley, M. M.
One important element of high-quality healthcare delivery is a motivated and satisfied staff. Healthcare executives should regularly examine the factors that influence clinicians’ perceptions of satisfaction and quality so that necessary changes can be addressed.
Added November 2014
A better physical environment in the workplace means higher well-being? A study with healthcare professionals
2013
Psyecology: Revista Bilingüe de Psicología Ambiental / Bilingual Journal of Environmental Psychology
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 4
Pages 89-110
Author(s): Campos-Andrade, C., Hernández-Fernaud, E., Lima, M.-L.
Referring to literature that points to the physical and psychological demands of healthcare work, the authors note that a negative physical environment can add to stress, burnout, and the possibility of error in addition to having repercussions for the health and well-being of the workers. Noise levels, unit configuration, and patient room type (single or multi-bed) are some of the environmental factors that have been studied and found to affect the experience and well-being of nurses.
Added November 2014
The effects of physical environments in medical wards on medication communication processes affecting patient safety
2014
Health & Place
Journal Article
Author(s): Liu, W., Manias, E., Gerdtz, M.
The physical environment of a hospital has a wide range of effects on the quality of care administered to patients. In the context of medication distribution, seamless communication among healthcare professionals of different backgrounds is imperative, and in many cases the physical environment itself can have positive or negative effects on this complex process.
Added November 2014
Operating room ventilation with laminar airflow shows no protective effect on the surgical site infection rate in orthopedic and abdominal surgery
2008
Annals of Surgery
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 248
Pages 695-700
Author(s): Brandt, C., Hott, U., Sohr, D., Daschner, F., Gastmeier, P., Rüden, H.
Operating rooms (ORs) in hospitals of different countries use ventilation systems to assist with the prevention of surgical site infections (SSIs). The authors cite literature to show that adequate evidence does not exist to support the use of expensive ventilation systems in preventing SSIs.
Added November 2014
An exploration of the meanings of space and place in acute psychiatric care
2006
Issues in Mental Health Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 27
Pages 699-707
Author(s): Andes, M., Shattell, M. M.
The effectiveness of acute psychiatric care (or short-term psychiatric care) owes much to the design of the physical space inhabited by both patients and mental health professionals. The structure of psychiatric care centers and the barriers they either create or remove between patients and healthcare practitioners can potentially influence patient recovery and employee well-being. Some argue that private, physically exclusionary spaces designed specifically for nurses are necessary in order to protect sensitive information and provide psychological solace for the nurses themselves.
Added November 2014
Return on investment of a LEED platinum hospital: the influence of healthcare facility environments on healthcare employees and organizational effectiveness
2014
Journal of Hospital Administration
Journal Article
Author(s): Harris, D. D.
The author mentions that there is increasing evidence that indicates the connection between facility design and staff satisfaction. In comparison, there are few rigorous studies that examine the impact of sustainable building design and outcomes pertaining to patients, staff, and organizational goals.
Added November 2014
Patients' experience of important factors in the healthcare environment in oncology care
2013
International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being
Journal Article
Author(s): Browall, M., Koinberg, I., Falk, H., Wijk, H.
Psychological stress can be caused by the healthcare system and especially for patients with cancer in oncology clinics. How patients perceive their healthcare environment was found to have an impact on their well-being.
Added November 2014
Study of relative color stability and corrosion resistance of commercial copper alloys exposed to hand contact and synthetic hand sweat
2013
Corrosion Science
Journal Article
Author(s): Fredj, N., Kolar, J. S., Prichard, D. M., Burleigh, T. D.
The authors acknowledge that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes more than 300 copper alloys to have antibacterial properties. They refer to different studies that have demonstrated substantial decreases in bacterial and fungal colonies on various hospital surfaces that are made of copper alloys versus plastic and stainless steel.
Added November 2014
Young children's perspectives of ideal physical design features for hospital-built environments
2014
Journal of Child Health Care
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 18
Pages 57-71
Author(s): Lambert, V., Coad, J., Hicks, P., Glacken, M.
Current research has sought to understand pediatric hospital environments through studies designed to gain insight into the hospital experience from a child’s perspective. While this research has provided insight into a child’s emotional response to being in a hospital environment, little has been done to gain insight into the physical design from a child’s perspective.
Added November 2014
Does proper design of an intensive care unit affect compliance with isolation practices?
2011
Critical Care Nursing Quarterly
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 34
Pages 36-45
Author(s): Rodriguez, M., Ford, D., Adams, S.
This article tackles these questions, as well as looks at the importance of end-user input to renovation and construction healthcare projects.
Added November 2014
Design Research and Behavioral Health Facilities
2013
The Center for Health Design
Report
Author(s): Shepley, M. M., Pasha, S.
In the interest of determining the state of knowledge on the relationship between behavioral health and the physical environment, the authors explored the literature on research, guidelines, and funding related to this topic.
Added November 2014
The Effects of Presence and Influence in Nature Images in a Simulated Hospital Patient Room
2010
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 3
Pages 56-69
Author(s): Vincent, E., Battisto, D., Grimes, L.
While some research has looked at the impact of variables such as nature murals, nature sounds, nature videos, and nature views on such outcomes as pain intensity and tolerance, pain quality, need for medication, and anxiety, this topic has not been widely studied in the research literature. As hospitals purchase art for display, to create a restorative environment, and encourage wellness, more direction is needed to inform decisions between different types of art and nature images that may or may not truly benefit patients.
Added October 2014
The Effects of Nature Images on Pain in a Simulated Hospital Patient Room
2010
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 3
Pages 42-55
Author(s): Vincent, E., Battisto, D., Grimes, L., McCubbin, J.
While a number of research studies have found a link between views to nature in healthcare settings and reduction in stress and anxiety, fewer studies have looked at the impact on pain levels of views to nature. While pain and stress are related, there is interest in better defining the relationship between access to nature and pain itself. Additionally, the researchers believe that there is a need to better understand these relationships through the lens of theory, in particular evolutionary theory, which posits that people are predisposed to select and prefer certain types of environments that ensure survival.
Added October 2014
