title: Hospital Patient Room Design: The Issues Facing 23 Occupational Groups Who Work in Medical/Surgical Patient Rooms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to learn from a wide range of hospital staff members about how the design of the patient room in which they work adversely affects their ergonomics or hinders their job performance.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  In addition to providing a healing space for patients, hospital patient rooms need to serve as functional workplaces for the people who provide clinical care, to clean, or to maintain room functions. Therefore, from a design perspective, it is important to understand the needs of all the users of hospital patient rooms with regard to room design.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred forty-seven people, representing 23 different occupational stakeholder groups, participated in either focus groups or interviews in which they were asked to identify room design issues that affect the performance of their work tasks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Key issues shared across multiple stakeholder groups included an inability to have eye contact with the patient when entering the room, inadequate space around the bed for the equipment used by stakeholders, the physical demands experienced as stakeholders move furnishings to accomplish their activities or access equipment, and a lack of available horizontal surfaces. Unique issues were also identified for a number of stakeholder groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are a number of issues that should be addressed in the next generation of hospital patient rooms, or when refurbishing existing facilities, so that all occupational stakeholder groups can work effectively, efficiently, and without undue physical stress.
authors.affiliation: Integrated Systems Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA lavender.1@osu.edu.
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lavender
authors.affiliation: Integrated Systems Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sommerich
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Emily S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: Design, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth B-N
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Integrated Systems Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Sanghyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Integrated Systems Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Radin Zaid Radin
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Umar
authors.affiliation: Integrated Systems Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007374:Interior Design and Furnishings / Q000592:standards*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D020380:Needs Assessment; D016272:Occupational Health; D061214:Patient Safety; D010362:Patients' Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D014481:United States; D000066477:Work Performance; D017132:Workplace / Q000592:standards
keywords: design; ergonomics; hospital-acquired infection; human factors; injury prevention; med/surg patient room; patient room; patient safety