Herd-Health Environments Research & Design Journal最新文献

Background: Hospital environments can be distressing for pediatric patients, particularly before surgery. Preoperative anxiety is a common issue among children, potentially leading to adverse psychological and physiological effects. Child-friendly environmental modifications, such as incorporating cartoon characters and natural scenery in hospital design, may help reduce anxiety and improve patient experience. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of child-friendly environmental design interventions-specifically, painting pediatric surgery ward walls with universal cartoon images and natural scenes-on preoperative anxiety levels in children.

Methods: A mixed-methods design (comparative and descriptive) was employed. The study included 80 children aged 4 to 10 years, divided into two groups (n = 42 in the first group, n = 38 in the second group). Preoperative anxiety levels were assessed using The Children's Anxiety Meter-State and Trait scales. Additionally, children in the second group were asked, "What is your opinion about painting the walls?" to collect qualitative feedback.

Results: The mean preoperative state anxiety score was 5.40 ± 3.46 in the first group and 3.52 ± 3.50 in the second group (p < .05), indicating a significant reduction in anxiety after the environmental intervention. In group 2 (after painting), 78.5% (n = 30) of children responded to the open-ended question, with 90% expressing satisfaction with the newly designed environment.

Conclusion: Painting pediatric surgery ward walls with child-friendly imagery and natural scenes was found to be an effective nonpharmacological intervention in reducing preoperative anxiety in children. These findings support the integration of child-friendly environmental designs in pediatric healthcare settings to enhance patient wellbeing.

ObjectivesTo provide actionable, co-designed ideas for how to optimize the built environment and service of inpatient stroke rehabilitation facilities.BackgroundInput from diverse stakeholders is needed to ensure that stroke rehabilitation spaces address the unique learning and practice needs of users. In this paper, we report the first phase of the Neuroscience Optimized Virtual Environments Living Lab (NOVELL) Redesign project.MethodWe engaged with key stakeholders across: (1) Four co-design workshops (n ranged between 23 and 31 people per workshop including stroke survivors, clinicians, and designers) to generate ideas for design innovation; (2) a workshop with a healthcare architecture firm responding to these ideas; and (3) an online prioritization task to rank outcomes from previous workshops.ResultsOutputs included: (1) A framework of objectives describing what is important in stroke rehabilitation environments and services; (2) 28 actionable design ideas for achieving these objectives; (3) 10 scenarios that integrate these design ideas and objectives to describe a speculative, visionary stroke rehabilitation facility; and (4) prioritization of these scenarios. Key scenarios included: Bedrooms that achieve the benefits of both a single and shared room; environments/services that allow stroke survivors access to appropriate levels of risk; and therapy spaces that provide supported challenge and real-world practice.ConclusionsWe identified opportunities for innovation that bring service design and architectural design together symbiotically. The interdisciplinary methods-combining co-design, Design Thinking, Speculative Futures, and Multi-Attribute Evaluation within a Living Lab framework-were successful in generating collaborative, actionable, and visionary design ideas.

Background: Doctors often face heavy workloads and high-stress levels. Optimizing their workspaces can enhance emotional well-being, increase satisfaction, and improve healthcare outcomes. Currently, no theoretical framework exists for such spatial optimization, necessitating the exploration of key elements and interactions within the typical workspaces for doctors. Objectives: In this study, we focused on typical workplaces for doctors to identify the factors within these spaces that influence emotional regulation, assess their effectiveness, and establish an evaluation framework. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 medical experts, followed by qualitative thematic analysis to construct a clustering model. Subsequently, we identified the key categories to construct the Analytic Hierarchy Process model. We invited 10 medical experts and 10 architectural design experts to evaluate the importance of these factors using a judgment matrix approach. Results: The clustering model for emotional regulation included six dimensions: individual characteristics, spatial dimensions, physical aspects, decorative elements, atmosphere, and emotional expressions. The model identified four primary categories (spatial dimensions, physical aspects, decorative elements, and atmosphere) and assessed their relative weights. Conclusions: In this study, we identified key factors influencing doctors' emotional regulation and established a clustering model. The evaluation model and importance weights of different factors provide effective recommendations for optimizing doctors' workspaces and enhancing their work environments theoretically and practically.

PurposeA pilot mixed methods facility environmental evaluation of a rural critical access hospital in Montana coupled with qualitative community interviews to identify areas of convergence and divergence of meaningful design changes to enhance hospital operations, service line offerings, and access.BackgroundMontana is the fourth largest state with a population of approximately one million residents. Most Montana residents live in geographically isolated rural or frontier communities with chronic healthcare provider shortages and critical access hospitals closing or at risk of closure. As many rural hospitals undergo renovations, there is a need for a holistic approach to align facility and community needs in an interpretable manner to both design teams and hospital leadership.MethodsEnvironmental evaluation was conducted using checklists for seven indicators of facility health: lighting; air quality; noise; infection control/prevention; information security; travel and wayfinding; and supply management. In tandem, qualitative semi-structured community resident interviews were conducted. Findings were synergistically interpreted in partnership with a community advisory board and hospital leadership.ResultsOf the seven environmental indicators, noise and lighting were most significant to local resident perspectives and attitudes to accessing care at the hospital. Residents noted the need for heightened safeguards to support privacy and confidentiality when individuals and family groups are familiar with one another in small towns.ConclusionsFindings in this study suggest rural healthcare facility design teams may benefit from a mixed methods approach and use of a rural culture-specific guiding conceptual framework to align decision-making with meaningful changes to enhance community engagement.

BackgroundThe Nursing Institute of Healthcare Design conducted an interdisciplinary design professional workshop surrounding evidence-based research inclusion throughout the continuum of healthcare projects. A mnemonic was developed to guide learners through steps of research integration: Rethink; Appraise; Inquire; Study; and Empower (RAISE).PurposeThe purpose of developing the RAISE heuristic model was to create a common approach to evidence-based design integration in healthcare projects through easily interpretable, guided steps and adaptable use across multiple stakeholder groups/settings.MethodGuided by situational learning theory, RAISE was introduced to over 49 design professionals via a keynote presentation, panel session, and interactive virtual escape room activity. Workshop attendees used the mnemonic to find clues, solve puzzles, and complete a quiz to 'escape' one of four project scenarios: operating room; pediatric in-patient behavioral health; community clinic; and emergency department.ResultsA total of 34 attendees completed an evaluation survey, which included Likert-scale quantitative questions and qualitative open-ended questions. Over 80% of respondents rated the knowledge of subject, presentation skills, content, and overall session as 'Excellent.' Qualitative findings noted areas of opportunity to refine the RAISE model to smaller scale project applications.ConclusionThe RAISE model has been adopted by an interprofessional graduate healthcare systems design course at Montana State University and by industry partners of the Nursing Institute of Healthcare Design to make research approachable to new generations of designers. Future work will include further testing and iterative refinement of the model as part of an online toolkit developed by the Institute.

Objectives: This scoping review aims to investigate the role of the physical environment on intrahospital transport (IHT) for intensive care unit (ICU) patients and to understand how it interacts with various work system factors. Background: ICU patients often require IHT for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, which is associated with increased risks of adverse events, morbidity, and mortality. However, the literature on healthcare architecture rarely considers how the physical environment may contribute to these outcomes. Methods: This review systematically searched five databases, including PubMed, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and Web of Science. Population, Concept, and Context (PCC) framework guided the keywords selection. Results: The review included 15 articles. The role of the physical environment on IHTs for ICU patients was grouped into categories including ICU patient rooms, corridors, elevators, receiving departments, unit layouts, and overall hospital layouts. Conclusions: The findings suggest that optimizing environmental design can significantly enhance patient and staff safety, and transport efficiency. Future research should focus on addressing the identified gaps, employing more robust methodologies, and exploring innovative design solutions to improve IHT outcomes in ICU settings.

Purpose: This study aimed to better understand how the design of the pediatric outpatient waiting room impacts the experiences of autistic children. Background: Outpatient waiting rooms are frequented by autistic children for a variety of healthcare services. Often, these settings consist of unpredictable, uncontrollable, and intense stimuli that may be difficult for children to tolerate. Due to the increased prevalence of autism and significant differences in sensory and self-regulation needs, it is essential to design waiting rooms that are more supportive and inclusive. Methods: Data collection included participant observations, semistructured interviews with the participant and their family, and administration of parent surveys. The Person-Environment-Occupation Model was used to guide data collection and analysis. Once all data was collected, a six-step thematic analysis process was used. Results: Three children and their families participated in this study. Three themes emerged: waiting room triggers, facilitating regulation, and supported inclusion. Each theme identified specific barriers and facilitators of the current waiting room design. Conclusions: This study contributes important perspectives to the literature when designing outpatient therapy waiting rooms. More research is needed to fully tailor healthcare design to be supportive of autistic children.

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the physical and architectural features of nursing homes in Türkiye to establish a foundational understanding of their current conditions and recommend improvements that can enhance residents' quality of life. Background: This study represents the first comprehensive assessment of nursing home environments in Türkiye, focusing on facilities in Ankara, Izmir, and Istanbul. The research addresses a gap in understanding the physical environments of these facilities by examining how well their design and amenities are represented or overlooked within the scope of the assessment tool. Method: The study uses the Physical and Architectural Features (PAF) checklist from the Multiphasic Environmental Assessment Procedure (MEAP) to conduct a detailed evaluation of seven nursing home facilities. This checklist allows for a structured analysis of various environmental factors critical to the design and function of care settings for older adults. Result: Findings indicate that while Community Accessibility and Safety Features were within the acceptable norms, Staff Facilities and Social-Recreational Aids scored moderately low. Moreover, Physical Amenities, Prosthetic Aids, and Orientation Aids scored significantly below the average, showing significant deficiencies across the evaluated facilities. Conclusion: The assessment provides foundational knowledge for understanding the physical conditions in Turkish nursing homes and offers insights for policymakers and designers. The study's recommendations aim to inform future interventions that can enhance the physical environment of care settings, thereby supporting older adults' well-being and quality of life.