HERD
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To evaluate and compare the impact of an existing and newly built hospital environment on family and staff satisfaction related to light, noise, temperature, aesthetics, and amenities, as well as safety, security, and privacy. ⋯ Families and staff reported greater satisfaction with the newly built hospital environment compared to the old facility. Study results will help guide future architectural design decisions, attract and retain staff at a world-class facility, and create the most effective healing environments.
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Comparative Study
A comparison of parent satisfaction in an open-bay and single-family room neonatal intensive care unit.
The purpose of this research was to test the hypothesis that parental satisfaction with neonatal intensive care is greater in a single-family room facility as compared with a conventional open-bay neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). ⋯ Parental satisfaction with care in the single-family room NICU was improved in comparison with the traditional open-bay NICU. The single-family room environment appears more conducive to the provision of family-centered care. Improved parental satisfaction with care and the potential for enhanced family-centered care need to be considered in decisions made regarding the configuration of NICU facilities in the future.
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Investigators studied an emergency department (ED) physical chart system and identified inconsistent, small font labeling; a single-color scheme; and an absence of human factors engineering (HFE) cues. A case study and description of the methodology with which surrogate measures of chart-related patient safety were studied and subsequently used to reduce latent hazards are presented. ⋯ Application of HFE methods may aid the development, assessment, and modification of acute care clinical environments through evidence-based design methodologies and contribute to safe patient care delivery.
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To substantiate the anticipated benefits of the original acuity-adaptable care delivery model as defined by innovator Ann Hendrich. ⋯ Although some hospitals experienced the projected benefits of the acuity-adaptable care delivery model, sustaining the outcomes proved to be difficult; hence, the original definition of acuity-adaptable units has not fared well. Variations on the original concept demonstrate that eliminating patient transfers has not been completely abandoned in healthcare redesign and construction initiatives. Terms such as flex-up, flex-down, universal room, and single-stay unit have since emerged. These variations convolute the search for empirical evidence to support the anticipated benefits of the original concept. To determine the future of this concept and its variants, a significant amount of outcome data must be generated by piloting the concept in different hospital settings. As further refinements and adjustments to the concept emerge, the acuity-adaptable room may find a place in future hospitals.
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This study determined whether a private room or open ward design better met optimal environmental conditions for a neonatal intensive care unit with regard to sound level, light level, temperature and humidity. ⋯ The private room design allows for a more controlled patient care environment that can be maintained within a smaller range of variation nearer optimal environmental conditions.