Nursing work and sensory experiences of hospital design : A before and after qualitative study following a move to all-single room inpatient accommodation

• The embodied experience of nursing practice is rarely studied. Drawing on data from an internationally relevant larger study conducted in 2013–14, here we explore the sensory dimension of the embodied experiences of nursing staff working on two acute NHS hospital wards before and after a move to all-single room inpatient accommodation. We undertook a secondary analysis of 25 interviews with nursing staff (12 before and 13 after the move with half [13/25] using photographs taken by participants) from a mixed-method before-and-after study. This analysis focused on the sensory dimensions of nursing staff's experiences of their working practices and the effect of the built environment upon these. Drawing on Pallasmaa's theoretocal insights, we report how the all-single room ward design prioritises ‘focused vision’ and hinders peripheral perception, whilst the open ward environment is rich in contextual and preconscious information. We suggest all-single room accommodation may offer staff an impoverished experience of caring for patients and of working with each other. 

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Embodiment

Healthcare design

Nursing work

Patient experience

Staff experience

design

health care

health worker

hospital sector

management practice

perception

Article

controlled study

cost

hospital design

human

human dignity

national health service

nurse patient relationship

nursing care

nursing staff

patient preference

patient safety

priority journal

privacy

qualitative research

quasi experimental study

surgical ward

teamwork

United Kingdom

vision

work environment

workload

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)