K101 Hospital as a place of care

K101 Hospital as a place of care

1. Hospital is a social, physical & psychological environment

   • Physical - ward space mostly public, privacy only through curtains
   • Social - visiting time & space governed
   • Psychological - more private space would be comfortable & patient-centred, with access to a social area

2. Hospitals vary in design - some are more enabling than others

3. Staff are affected by the environment/conditions in which they work

   • Design impacts on nursing - employee fatigue related to layout of building.
     • Higher staff morale better for patients

4. Involving patients & staff can lead to improvement in design

5. 2013 survey - patients value privacy, respect & dignity

6. Example - Evelina Childrens Hospital

   • Designed to be friendly, colourful, welcoming & easy to understand. Full of light & engaging spaces.
     • School in hospital.
   • Levels of privacy - single rooms, small wards, open plan atrium
     • Atrium - space created for use by patients, family, staff & events
     • Parents can stay with kids
   • Views & needs of staff & children taken into consideration for design & organisation of hospital
     • Children consulted about design. Architect was a mother of child that stayed in hospital, Staff & clinicians consulted
   • For patients - Doesn't smell like a hospital, is bright & friendly, childs environment, seen as a playground, parents happy as kids are happy
     • For staff - Great place to work, light space, not depressing, environment makes people friendlier