Guidelines for the design of a healing garden for the rehabilitation of psychiatric patients
2015
Journal of Agricultural Engineering
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 46
Pages 43-51
Author(s): Erbino, C., Toccolini, A., Vagge, I., Ferrario, P. S.
Healing gardens can be defined as plant-populated areas designed to support and improve patient health and well-being. Previous studies have indicated that healing gardens are effective tools for improving physical and mental health in patients, families, and staff, ultimately leading to reduced care costs and general quality of life.
Added March 2018
Acoustic environments of patient room in a typical geriatric ward
2018
Applied Acoustics
Journal Article
Author(s): Jerlehag, C., Lee, P. J., Park, S. H., Jones, T., Carroll, N.
Previous studies have thoroughly demonstrated the harmful effects of background noise within healthcare environments; one study found that high levels of background noise disrupted patient sleep cycles, while even higher levels of noise led to elevated heart rates among nurses.
Added January 2018
Door locking and exit security measures on acute psychiatric admission wards: Door locking on admission wards
2011
Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 7
Volume 18
Pages 614-621
Author(s): Nijman, H., Bowers, L., Haglund, K., Muir-Cochrane, E., Simpson, A., Van Der Merwe, M.
Locked exit doors exist in psychiatric wards for various reasons. Sometimes regional legislation requires locked exits in these wards. At other times, these security measures are put in place in order to prevent patients from escaping a facility, to prevent unwelcome visits, to enhance the staff’s sense of control, or to improve overall patient and staff safety.
Added June 2017
Developing family rooms in mental health inpatient units: An exploratory descriptive study
2015
BMC Health Services Research
Journal Article
Author(s): Isobel, S., Foster, K., Edwards, C.
Adult inpatients receiving treatment at mental health facilities often wish to visit with family members. Indeed, previous research indicates that caregivers, consumers, and medical professionals agree that children of parents with mental illness (COPMI) should be able to spend time with their parents for the mutual benefit of both patients and families.
Added June 2017
The influence of hospital ward design on resilience to heat waves: An exploration using distributed lag models
2015
Energy and Buildings
Journal Article
Author(s): Iddon, C. R., Mills, T. C., Giridharan, R., Lomas, K. J.
Prolonged periods of uncharacteristically high outdoor temperatures (often referred to as “heat waves”) are correlated with increases in localized mortality rates. Hospitals have a responsibility to protect patient populations from harmful weather conditions, especially chronically ill patients that are vulnerable during prolonged exposure to high temperatures.
Added June 2017
Relationship between Environmental Conditions and Nosocomial Infection Rates in Intensive Care Unit
2017
Medical Journal of Islamic World Academy of Sciences
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 25
Pages 15–18
Author(s): Şimşek, E. M., Grassie, S. S., Emre, C., Gevrek, S. Ç.
Due to the highly vulnerable state of the patients populating intensive care units (ICUs) and the health risks posed to healthcare providers working in ICUs, special attention must be given to the causes and effects of nosocomial infections within these areas.
Added June 2017
Evidence-Based Design Features Improve Sleep Quality Among Psychiatric Inpatients
2017
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 10
Pages 52-63
Author(s): Pyrke, R. J. L., McKinnon, M. C., McNeely, H. E., Ahern, C., Langstaff, K. L., Bieling, P. J.
There are many factors present within psychiatric care facilities that can contribute to disrupted patient sleep patterns. Since poor sleep is widely associated with adverse health outcomes, it is important for designers to understand how the physical environments within mental health facilities can contribute to patient sleep patterns.
Added May 2017
Designing Team Rooms for Collaboration In The Outpatient Clinics
Author(s): DuBose, J., Lim, L., Westlake, R.
Healthcare systems in the U.S. are gradually shifting from “episodic” care delivered in silos to more team-oriented and coordinated approaches. Ambulatory care environments in particular are adopting the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model, which is an integrated, team-based model designed to optimize treatment and management of patients.
Added April 2017
Meeting Patient Expectations During Hospitalization: A Grounded Theoretical Analysis of Patient-Centered Room Elements
2017
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 10
Pages 95-110
Author(s): Patterson, E. S., Sanders, E. B.-N., Sommerich, C. M., Lavender, S. A., Li, J., Evans, K. D.
A 2016 study found that tens of millions of patients within the U.S. were hospitalized for an average of 4.8 days, while a separate study found that roughly 65.7 million people (or roughly 29% of the adult population) within the U.S. are considered caregivers for children or other adults. Other previous studies indicate that rooms that are specially designed to support patients and caregivers can reduce patient and caregiver stress and ultimately improve the overall healing processes.
Added March 2017
Post-Occupancy Evaluation of a Mental Healthcare Facility Based on Staff Perceptions of Design Innovations
2017
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 10
Pages 121-135
Author(s): Kalantari, S., Snell, R.
Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is a research method for gathering information on the effectiveness of new architectural designs in healthcare environments. POE can help healthcare providers and designers gauge whether or not a given design is achieving its intended purpose. Since evidence-based designs are becoming more widely implemented in a variety of healthcare environments, POE could prove useful in many different departmental contexts. The authors note that the application of POE in research focusing on mental healthcare facilities is rare, signaling a need for exploration
Added February 2017
Improving inpatient environments to support patient sleep
2016
International Journal for Quality in Health Care
Journal Article
Issue 5
Volume 28
Pages 540–553
Author(s): DuBose, J. R., Hadi, K.
The importance of sleep in the healing process, as well as the dangers of sleep deprivation, have been thoroughly studied within previously published literature.
Added December 2016
Investigation of Eligible Picture Categories for Use as Environmental Cues in Dementia-Sensitive Environments
2016
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 10
Pages 64-73
Author(s): Motzek, T., Bueter, K., Marquardt, G.
Dementia often manifests in populations of elderly people who are admitted to acute care facilities. The disorienting nature of hospital environments can exacerbate the condition of dementia, leading to challenging behavior from patients that can affect staff, other patients, and the patients themselves. Previous studies have found that personalized labels and signs, such as photographic portraits of residents themselves, are effective environmental markers in long-term healthcare facilities.
Added December 2016
Individualizing hospital care for children and young people with learning disabilities: it's the little things that make the difference
2015
Journal of Pediatric Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 30
Pages 78-86
Author(s): Oulton, K., Sell, D., Kerry, S., Gibson, F.
People with learning disabilities (LDs) represent one of the largest groups with a lifelong disability, reaching nearly 60 million people worldwide. In England alone, it is estimated that 1.5 million people live with an LD, 286,000 of them being children and young people ages 0-17. It has been found that those with LD have more hospital admissions and greater hospital stays than those children without.
Added November 2016
Environmental Variables That Influence Patient Satisfaction: A Review of the Literature
2016
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 10
Pages 155-169
Author(s): MacAllister, L., Zimring, C., Ryherd, E.
This paper is a literature review that compiles a number of studies investigating the layouts and designs of hospitals and work settings, and the influences that these environments have on health and behavioral outcomes in patients. More specifically, this review seeks to identify possible links between physical and social environmental influences to self-reported patient outcomes. The authors wish to more fully understand the elements that influence patient satisfaction, and then begin a discussion over how physical and social environments can be further analyzed to enhance satisfaction.
Added September 2016
Security Implications of Physical Design Attributes in the Emergency Department
2016
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 9
Pages 50-63
Author(s): Pati, D., Pati, S., Harvey, T. E.
In this paper, the authors consider “security” a subset of “safety,” and note that security is imperative for providing efficient patient care, especially in emergency departments (EDs). Security is defined as the protection of people and property, while safety is defined as the broader concept of delivering patient care.
Added September 2016
Prevention by Design: Construction and Renovation of Health Care Facilities for Patient Safety and Infection Prevention
2016
Infectious Disease Clinics of North America
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 30
Pages 713–728
Author(s): Olmsted, Russell N.
Added September 2016
Built environment instruments for walkability, bikeability, and recreation: Disability and universal design relevant?
2012
Disability and Health Journal
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 5
Pages 87-101
Author(s): Gray, J. A., Zimmerman, J. L., Rimmer, J. H.
Added August 2016
Do perceptions of neighbourhood environment influence health? Baseline findings from a British survey of aging
2006
Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 60
Pages 476-483
Author(s): Bowling, A.
Added August 2016
Healthy Built Environment Linkages: A Toolkit for Design - Planning - Health
2014
PHSA Population & Public Health team under the leadership of the Healthy Built Environment Alliance (HBEA)
Report
Author(s): Provincial Health Services Authority
Added August 2016
Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States: Implementation and Measurement Guide
2009
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Report
Author(s): Keener, D., Goodman, K., Lowry, A., Zaro, S., Khan, L. K.
Added August 2016