Restorative Design Features for Hospital Staff Break Areas: A Multi-Method Study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Design
• Occupational Health
• Environmental Psychology

Background:

• Nurses are vital to healthcare quality and retention.
• Staff well-being is a key concern for administrators.
• Break area design is often overlooked for restorative potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate restorative components of healthcare staff break areas.
• Assess usage patterns, preferences, and restorative qualities of design features.
• Optimize break areas to enhance nurse satisfaction and reduce stress.

Main Methods:

• Employed a multi-method approach.
• Combined qualitative (interviews, narrative surveys) and quantitative (discrete surveys, visual ranking) data.
• Triangulated findings from diverse data sources.

Main Results:

• Break areas are best utilized when near work areas, offering privacy from patients/families, and allowing for individual or social interaction.
• Private outdoor spaces (balconies, porches) offer significantly higher restorative potential than indoor views, art, or plants.
• Proximity, privacy, and socialization opportunities enhance break area use and restorative value.

Conclusions:

• Improving break area restorative quality can enhance nurse satisfaction and reduce stress.
• Enhanced nurse well-being may lead to improved patient care.
• Evidence-based design of staff break areas is essential for healthcare settings.