HERD
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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.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Centralized vs. decentralized nursing stations: effects on nurses' functional use of space and work environment.
Evidence-based findings of the effects of nursing station design on nurses' work environment and work behavior are essential to improve conditions and increase retention among these fundamental members of the healthcare delivery team. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate how nursing station design (i.e., centralized and decentralized nursing station layouts) affected nurses' use of space, patient visibility, noise levels, and perceptions of the work environment. ⋯ The "hybrid" nursing design model in which decentralized nursing stations are coupled with centralized meeting rooms for consultation between staff members may strike a balance between the increase in computer duties and the ongoing need for communication and consultation that addresses the conflicting demands of technology and direct patient care.