title: Impact of the Urban Zen Initiative on patients' experience of admission to an inpatient oncology floor: a mixed-methods analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Urban Zen Initiative, an "optimal healing environment" intervention, at Beth Israel Medical Center on both quantitative and qualitative measures of the experience of patients admitted for inpatient oncology care.
  
  
  METHODS
  A quasi-experimental design was used comparing a baseline sample of patients admitted to the oncology floor before the intervention to a similar group admitted during the intervention. Data collected included the Profile of Mood States, the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D), and, on a subset of patients, a semistructured qualitative interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in the intervention group experienced significantly less emotional distress during their stay when compared to patients in the baseline group. There were also significantly greater improvements in pain and discomfort during the stay in the treatment group as compared to controls. The qualitative analysis described a number of possible explanations for this change including increased sense of connection and control as well as specific techniques for symptom relief.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible to improve the experience of patients admitted for inpatient cancer care with a "healing environment" intervention. Further studies are needed that incorporate randomized design and the ability to examine specific components of the intervention independently as well as the impact of the intervention as a whole.
authors: Department of Integrative Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA. bkligler@chpnet.org
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: Kligler
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Homel
authors: Louis B
authors: LB
authors: Harrison
authors: Esther
authors: E
authors: Sackett
authors: Hanniel
authors: H
authors: Levenson
authors: Jeanne
authors: J
authors: Kenney
authors: Stewart B
authors: SB
authors: Fleishman
authors: Diane
authors: D
authors: Serra
authors: Woodson
authors: W
authors: Merrell
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D018939:Holistic Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007374:Interior Design and Furnishings; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*