The Importance of Specific Workplace Environment Characteristics for Maximum Health and Performance: Healthcare
Rana Sagha Zadeh1, Mardelle M Shepley, Arthur Hamie Owora
1Department of Design and Environmental Analysis, Cornell University (Dr Zadeh, Dr Shepley); Department of Public Health, Syracuse University, Syracuse (Dr Owora); Student Health Services, Texas A&M University, College Station (Dr Dannenbaum); EYP/Health (formerly WHR Architects, Inc.), Houston (Ms Waggener), Texas; American Society of Interior Designers, Washington, DC (PhD Candidate, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (affiliation under which the work was done)) (Dr Chung); Cornell University (Dr Chung), Ithaca, New York.
Objective:
To examine the importance of specific workplace environment characteristics for maximum health and performance, assigned by healthcare employees, and how they relate to the nature of their work.
Methods:
A cross-sectional mixed-method study was conducted with content analysis and robust regression models to examine the relationship between workplace environment characteristics and perceived importance in promoting health and performance.
Results:
Our findings suggest that perceptions of key environment characteristics that safeguard health and performance in healthcare workplaces may vary by employee sex, setting, and nature of healthcare work involved. Theme and model descriptions of the influence of these factors on participant perceptions are provided.
Conclusions:
Employee feedback on workplace characteristics that impact health and performance could be instrumental in determining the priorities of workplace design.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Dimensions of Health and Illness
Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...
Standard Precaution
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
PPE Use in Healthcare Settings I: Donning
The Professional Nurse
Communication skills: These are critical characteristics, especially speaking and listening.


