The physical environment and patients' activities and care. A comparative case study at three newly built stroke units

• AIM: To explore and compare the impact of the physical environment on patients' activities and care at three newly built stroke units.BACKGROUND: Receiving care in a stroke unit instead of in a general ward reduces the odds of death, dependency and institutionalized care. In stroke units, the design of the physical environment should support evidence-based care. Studies on patients' activities in relation to the design of the physical environment of stroke units are scarce.DESIGN: This work is a comparative descriptive case study.METHOD: Patients (N=55) who had a confirmed diagnosis of stroke were recruited from three newly built stroke units in Sweden. The units were examined by non-participant observation using two types of data collection: behavioral mapping analyzed with descriptive statistics and field note taking analyzed with deductive content analysis. Data were collected from April 2013 - December 2015.RESULTS: The units differed in the patients' levels of physical activity, the proportion of the day that patients spent with health professionals and family presence. Patients were more physically active in a unit with a combination of single and multi-bed room designs than in a unit with an entirely single room design. Stroke units that were easy to navigate and offered variations in the physical environment had an impact on patients' activities and care.CONCLUSIONS: Patients' activity levels and interactions appeared to vary with the design of the physical environments of stroke units. Stroke guidelines focused on health status assessments, avoidance of bed-rest and early rehabilitation require a supportive physical environment. 

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

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)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Allmänmedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- General Practice (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

evidence-based design

nursing

physical environment

rehabilitation

stroke guidelines

stroke unit

Hälsa och välfärd

Health and Welfare

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

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