Falls and Patient Mobility in Critical Care: Keeping Patients and Staff Safe
Issue 3
Volume 20
Pages 267-276
Author(s): Flanders, S. A., Harrington, L., Fowler, R. J.
A main priority in hospitals in the U.S. is ensuring both patient and staff safety throughout a patient’s stay. Falls are a major concern in hospitals, particularly in critical care units (ICUs), where nurses care for increasingly older populations that are prone to falls and injuries from falls. Another issue that arises in intensive care units is the decision of when it is safe to mobilize patients, a relevant consideration in relation to incidence of falls and durations of hospital stay.
Added March 2014
The built environment as a component of quality care: understanding and including the patient’s perspective
Issue 7
Volume 25
Pages 352-362
Author(s): Fowler, E., MacRae, S., Stern, A., Harrison, T., Gerteis, M., Walker, J., Edgman-Levitan, S., Ruga, W.
There are eight consistent attributes that patients and family members look for in healthcare environments.
Added March 2014
A controlled trial of the impact of exposure to positive images of dentistry on anticipatory dental fear in children
Issue 6
Volume 34
Pages 455-459
Author(s): Fox, C., Newton, J.
Many children are anxious about visiting the dentist, but viewing positive images of dentistry for 2 minutes in the waiting room prior to their appointment significantly reduced study participants’ anticipatory dental anxiety.
Added March 2014
Medical Gas Cylinder and Bulk Tank Storage
2012
American Society for Healthcare Engineering
Monograph
Author(s): McLaughlin, S., Dagenais, D.
There are particular requirements for storing medical gas cylinders as well as requirements for bulk tank storage in healthcare settings; these regulatory requirements exist specifically for cylinders that are not in use. In use refers to cylinders being used by a patient, or attached to equipment and ready for immediate use, or located in patient rooms about to be used. Requirements vary depending on the total amount of cubic feet of gas needing to be stored, with the most stringent regulations for more than 3,000 cubic feet of gas, less stringent requirements for 300-3,000 cubic feet of gas, and the least stringent requirements for less than 300 cubic feet of gas. These requirements are in place to reduce the risk of accident and injury.
Added March 2014
Effects of exam-room computing on clinician-patient communication: A longitudinal qualitative study.
Issue 8
Volume 20
Pages 677-682
Author(s): Frankel, R., Altschuler, A., George, S., Kinsman, J, Jimison, H., Robertson, N, Hsu, J.
Computers are becoming ubiquitous in patient exam rooms. This research investigated their influence on patient-clinician communication. Of particular interest is a discussion of how the spatial organization of the exam room can support patient-clinician communication. Best were arrangements in which patient and clinician were positioned basically shoulder to shoulder so each could simultaneously view the computer screen.
Added March 2014
Operating Room HVAC Setback Strategies
2011
American Society for Healthcare Engineering
Monograph
Author(s): Love, C.
Operating rooms (ORs) have significant HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) standards and requirements, yet the rooms tend not to be in use upwards of 40% of the time. As a result, an excessive amount of energy is wasted to maintain air standards for no reason during that period of time. Hospitals have an opportunity to save a significant amount of energy by employing HVAC setback strategies, which minimize the amount of air supplied to the rooms when they are unoccupied. The decision of whether or not to employ a setback strategy for a hospital’s ORs requires an assessment of staff usage, existing conditions, and associated costs.
Added March 2014
The Relationships Between Nurses’ Perceptions of the Hemodialysis Unit Work Environment and Nurse Turnover, Patient Satisfaction, and Hospitalizations
Issue 3
Volume 34
Pages 271-281
Author(s): Gardner, J. K., Fogg, L., Thomas-Hawkins, C., Latham, C. E.
Nephrology nurses’ impressions of their work environments (professional/social, not physical) are related to nurse and patient outcomes, for example, nurses’ employment decisions.
Added March 2014
Converting Medical/Surgical Units for Safe Use by Psychiatric Patients: The Physical and Fiscal Risks
2011
American Society for Healthcare Engineering
Monograph
Author(s): Hunt, J. M., Sine, D. M.
When repurposing medical/surgical units as behavioral health units, there are a significant number of elements within the physical environment that must be modified to support the specialized needs of the patients and reduce the risk of self-harm and harm to others. While intention for self-harm cannot be reliably assessed, suicide is a major concern on psychiatric units, and therefore there is a need to design the unit as if all patients may be at risk for self-harm.
Added March 2014
Are Pediatric Practice Settings Adolescent Friendly? An Exploration of Attitudes and Preferences
2004
Clinical Pediatrics
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 43
Pages 55-61
Author(s): Tivorsak, T., Britto, M., Klostermann, B., Nebrig, D., Slap, G.
Adolescents would like the treatment settings they experience to be designed to reflect their design preferences. This is a comprehensive, early study clearly delineating the details of those preferred environments.
Added March 2014
Health Care Wayfinding Integrates Four Aspects to Become Carefinding
2010
American Society for Healthcare Engineering
Monograph
Author(s): Cooper, R.
Carefinding is a term that refers to an evidence-based approach to designing wayfinding systems in healthcare settings, catering to the needs of the users of those spaces, particularly patients and their caregivers. Successful wayfinding in healthcare facilities requires consideration of the user experience, the wayfinding process, the wayfinding plan, and implementation of the plan.
Added March 2014
The design of psychologists’ offices: a qualitative evaluation of environment-function fit
2007
AIA Academy Journal
Journal Article
Author(s): Watkins, N. J., Anthony, K. H.
Psychologists attempt to create office environments that support their therapeutic discussions with patients.
Added March 2014
Acuity-Adaptable Patient Room Improves Length of Stay and Cost of Patients Undergoing Renal Transplant: A Pilot Study
2013
Critical Care Nursing Quarterly
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 36
Pages 181-194
Author(s): Bonuel, N., Degracia, A., Cesario, S.
As patient room design has evolved to accommodate changes in clinical services, operational trends, and new technologies, the acuity-adaptable patient room concept has emerged. In an acuity-adaptable room, patients are cared for across the continuum, from intake to discharge regardless of their progress or condition. This is a departure from the current standard care delivery, where patients move from unit to unit and room to room depending on the level of care acuity.
Added March 2014
Review of the Literature: Acuity-Adaptable Patient Room
2013
Critical Care Nursing Quarterly
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 36
Pages 251–271
Author(s): Bonuel, N. , Cesario, S.
Acuity-adaptable rooms allow patients to stay in one room from the time they are admitted to when they leave, regardless of their acuity level. These specially equipped private rooms are staffed by nurses who have the skills and training to support the complete range of care for patients with similar conditions or disease processes. The rooms are larger in size than a regular hospital room to accommodate various patients’ needs as their condition changes, such as critical care equipment, additional staff, procedures, and family members.
Added March 2014
Experiences of the transplant nurses caring for renal transplant Patients in an acuity-adaptable patient room
2013
Critical Care Nursing Quarterly
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 36
Pages 195-212
Author(s): Bonuel, N., Cesario, S. K.
One benefit of acuity-adaptable patient rooms may be increased job satisfaction for nurses. Further, making nurses happier at their jobs could keep them in the workforce longer. This article examines this patient care model from the perspective of renal transplant nurses.
Added March 2014
Clinical review: The impact of noise on patients’ sleep and the effectiveness of noise reduction strategies in intensive care units
2009
Critical Care
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 13
Pages 208–216
Author(s): Xie, H., Kang, J., Mills, G. H.
The World Health Organization recommends that noise levels in hospitals stay below 30 dBA at night to allow for better rest, yet excessive noise is prevalent in many healthcare settings, including intensive care units (ICUs). Research indicates that, since the 1960s, noise levels in hospitals increased by an average of 0.38 dBA (day) and 0.42 dBA (night) per year. Other research reports that the noise level in ICUs ranges from 50 to 75 dBA, with a night peak level soaring to 103 dBA. It’s easy to see why sleep disturbance is common among these vulnerable patients.
Added February 2014
Direct sunlight and ventilator weaning outcomes
2012
Holistic Nursing Practice
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 26
Pages 350–355
Author(s): Wise, P. M., Wallace, D. S.
Research shows that room design and the healthcare environment offer physical and psychological benefits for patients and others. For example, windows, by providing views of nature and exposure to sun, offer beneficial effects. Attention restoration theory posits that viewing a natural scene promotes a feeling of being away from it all and allows for a mental recuperative break. This change in cognitive functioning promoted by nature offers recuperative powers.
Added February 2014
Light is beneficial for infant circadian entrainment: an actigraphic study
2012
Journal of Advanced Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 8
Volume 68
Pages 1738–1747
Author(s): Tsai, S., Thomas, K. A., Lentz, M. J., Barnard, K. E.
When babies have their days and nights mixed up, it puts stress on the parents, disrupting their sleep, causing fatigue, and even leading to depression. Ambient light regulates the sleep-awake cycle in adults, however, it is less clear what role it plays in developing the circadian rhythms of infants. This paper takes a look at how light is related to infants’ circadian rest-activity patterns.
Added February 2014
Threading Needles in the Dark: The Effect of the Physical Work Environment on Nursing Practice
2009
Critical Care Nursing Quarterly
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 32
Pages 70–74
Author(s): Simmons, D., Graves, K., Flynn, E. A.
People’s ability to perform reliably and safely relies on the physical work environment. Nowhere is this connection more critical than in healthcare environments, which can be noisy, dimly lit, and chaotic. The United States Pharmacopeia addresses this issue in its draft general chapter of standards, “Physical Environments that Promote Safe Medication Use,” which specifies work environment guidelines to support efficient and safe medication use.
Added February 2014
Sleep in Acute Care Settings: An Integrative Review
2000
Journal of Nursing Scholarship
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 32
Pages 31–38
Author(s): Redeker, N. S.
Despite three decades of research, little is known about sleep in acute care settings. Yet, for many adults in these settings, disturbed sleep is common. This literature review looks at studies of hospitalized patients in intensive care and medical surgical units.
Added February 2014
The impact of health facilities on healthcare workers’ well-being and performance
2009
International Journal of Nursing Studies
Journal Article
Issue 7
Volume 46
Pages 1025–1034
Author(s): Rechel, B., Buchan, J., McKee, M.
There is extensive research on the effect of healthcare environments on patients. But much less is known about health facilities’ impact the staff, even while there is growing recognition of the need for healthy working environments. Poor healthcare working environments can relate to the nature of the work—long and antisocial hours, little administrative support, physical labor, and, sometimes, violence.
Added February 2014
