Evidence-Based Design in an Intensive Care Unit: End-User Perceptions

Date
2015-09-30
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Abstract
The objective of this qualitative case study was to describe end-user impressions about the design of the new Foothills Medical Centre intensive care unit in Calgary, Canada. I performed thirty-nine interviews with unit workers and family members. twenty-four in the early phase and fifteen in the late phase. Four themes and eleven sub-themes were identified: atmosphere (abundant natural light and low noise levels), physical spaces (single occupancy rooms, rooms clustered into clinical pods, medication rooms, and tradeoffs of larger spaces), family participation in care (family support areas and social networks), and equipment (usability, storage, and providers connectivity). End-users considered a pleasant atmosphere, attending to the tradeoffs of space and size, designing family support areas to encourage family participation in care, and updating patient care policies and staffing to reflect the new physical space as important elements when building intensive care units.
Description
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Health Care Management
Citation
Beller Ferri, M. (2015). Evidence-Based Design in an Intensive Care Unit: End-User Perceptions (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25998