Page 31 - SFHN March 2021

HEALTHCARE REAL ESTATE

Cover Story: Design for Our Caregivers

Continued from page 1
for patients and their families who seek be painted with neutral colors to pro-
care within buildings designed to aug- mote a calming effect.
ment their healing and comfort through Design to reduce clutter is a critical # & . " * ( ' ) "

established design principles. A hospital component of reducing stress and assist-

is a stressful place; so, from the moment ing healthcare workers. We need to # & # ! !
patients arrive and throughout their design spaces where all the equipment
visit, design should not add to anxiety used has a planned space to be located
but instead serve to calm and comfort so that rooms and hallways do not look * % ) ( " # # & & # 1 ) ( & " * % ( % " ! ) / # ! 0 " # " ' % " # " , ( % )

/

&

$& /
people during their period of anxiety. like obstacle courses to get around. How + ) * ( & ' '' ' $ * * " * $ ( ) ) & !* #+ ') # ' + ( * $ &
Medical workers are under intense do we design spaces to accommodate ( * * ) # ) " , ( ) ( + * % ! * * # # & * - & / # * % * ) %
pressures and anxieties as they recog- additional equipment without clutter? I % % " " , , # # & & , , $ $ % % / / ! ! * * & & ) ) " " / / ( ( * * & & ) ) + + ( ( ! ! * * ! ! ( % % " " ( ( ! ! * * # # ! ! - -
nize their responsibility to provide heal- am not speaking about bringing in emer- & / ( + ( ! * # % * % % # * -& ( & # ,%" ( % '& ( & * ) ( & * ( (

!

ing and comfort to large amounts of peo- gency equipment for a code, but about ( & ! ) & " # # , ! * ) ( ( ' & # & " ) ) ) " * ( & ( ' ' . " , & & ( ' & * # %
ple in critical need. COVID-19 patient the equipment lining rooms and hall-
volumes and limited supplies have ways in a surge that adds to an emer- + & / ! * " - ! * ( & ( ' ' ) " " ) & ' # % % ! , # & ) ( % & / , $ * ) ( & +
stressed out workers to new levels. In gency nature of the event and increases & $ . # ' * ! * # * * ) # # ( ( ) % ( !
addition, these workers’ emotional stress to the healthcare worker.
engagement is heightened by becoming Cluttered spaces exaggerate stress
stand-ins for family members no longer because it adds an element of search to a
allowed to come visit. They provide dynamic medical situation. Equipment
emotional comfort in addition to med- and mobile carts need to be identified
ical care, and that emotional toll on and space planned.
healthcare workers has been significant. Noise adds to stress. The action of
How can we alter our designs to pro- healthcare and the open space work
vide calm and lift the mood of workers areas do become issues for healthcare
during this trying time? workers when it comes to noise and pri-
Natural light/biophilic architecture is vacy. The COVID-19 requirements of
imperative to reach healthcare workers. heightened workloads and an additional
While daylight is desired, well designed, level of urgency requires designers to
ambient light may boost moods and balance controlling noise and employee
relieve stress. Excessive or uneven light privacy. Not a privacy lounge, but as
can lead to mental fatigue, visual dis- employees are charting, on an important
comfort, and amplify stress. Direct light, call, trying to coordinate medical
indirect light and task lighting must be instructions and medicines, the noise of
well thought out and designed. Just a the surrounding activities can be a deter-
few minutes of looking out a window at rent to being accurate and certainly adds
trees or water can reduce anxiety and stress as the worker struggles to listen
stress. and get it right.
When designing call centers for 911 Ultimately part of the lesson learned is
operators, spaces are included for that our medical space designs should
decompression and counseling after par- not create or amplify stress in our
ticipating in and listening to a stressful healthcare workers; just the apposite -
call. This is not an employee lounge or the design should enhance calmness,
coffee station, and it would be prudent health, and efficient medical attention.
to have similar spaces within a hospital
where workers can grab a moment of Charles Michelson is President of Saltz
emotional decompression as they run Michelson Architects. For more informa-
from one critical COVID-19 patient to tion, visit www.saltzmichelson.com.
the next. Here, staff respite areas should

Architecture
Engineering
Interiors
Planning GreshamSmith.com

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com March 2021 31