The Environmental Services Perspective on Hospital Room Design: A Mixed-Methods Approach

Abstract

Our aim is to enhance the safety and efficiency of all healthcare staff by designing patient rooms that meet the physical and cognitive needs of those providing direct and indirect patient care in hospital settings. A mixed-methods study was employed, where findings were compiled from twenty-six environmental services personnel across study activities. The insights were grouped into six categories of challenges with the design of hospital rooms in acute care settings: room cleaning, bathroom, room size, furniture, communication, and a miscellaneous ‘other’ category. There are design implications for storage, room design features, locations of room items, and fabrics and finishes.