Hospital Facilities as Work Environments: Evaluation Studies in the Operating,Radiology, and Emergency Departments in Seven Finnish General Hospitals

摘要

The study comprises a comparative evaluation of the physical working environmentin the operating, radiology, and emergency departments in seven Finnish general hospitals. Six examples of each department type were chosen for the study. All departments have been taken into use during the last ten years. The emphasis is on the comformity of the environment to the requirements of the staff. The effects of non-physical work-related factors on the environmental appraisals are also considered. The theoretical framework consists of environmental stress and action theories. Special quality requirements for the physical working environment in hospitals are formulated. An overview of the historical evolution of hospital buildings, general considerations of hospitals as work environments, and descriptions of the planning principles of the researched departments are included.