There is not an easy- and inexpensive-to-use tool that designers can utilize to assess usability in patient room bathrooms during the design process.
To create an easy- and inexpensive-to-use tool that can evaluate patient bathroom usability during the design process.
Data were collected via focus groups with nurses (one with four participants and a separate group with five), interviews with nurses (six), and nursing assistants (two) and “review of existing heuristic evaluations, reported hospital bathroom problems and safety checklists.” Data collected were synthesized and the desired sort of evaluation tool was developed.
A useful tool was developed and is available as an appendix to this article. Issues addressed include space/clearance, location/anthropometric concerns, labeling and consistency, safety, surfaces, and equipment/machinery.
The tool has not yet been extensively tested.