Mixed Deck — All EDAC Topics Flashcards

Which EBD-supported design intervention has the strongest evidence for improving patient sleep in hospitals?

Answer: Sound-absorbing materials combined with nighttime quiet protocols

Combining acoustic environmental design with behavioral quiet-at-night protocols produces the strongest evidence-based improvement in hospital sleep.

Which design feature has the strongest EBD evidence for directly reducing patient falls?

Answer: Single-patient rooms with bathrooms located close to the bed

Rooms with adjacent bathrooms reduce the distance patients must travel unsupported, which is the leading situational factor in patient falls.

Which type of signage is most strongly supported by EBD for improving patient wayfinding?

Answer: Landmark-based cues combined with consistent color coding at decision points

Distinctive landmarks and color coding at decision points leverage natural cognitive wayfinding strategies better than text-heavy signs.

EBD research most strongly supports which flooring material for reducing noise in patient care areas?

Answer: Rubber or resilient flooring

Rubber and resilient flooring absorb impact sound better than hard surfaces, reducing noise from footsteps and dropped objects.

Evidence-based design most strongly supports which intervention to reduce patient delirium in ICUs?

Answer: Access to natural light to maintain circadian rhythm and day-night orientation

Natural light cycles help ICU patients maintain circadian orientation, which is a key protective factor against delirium.

Which positioning of handwashing sinks is most supported by EBD for maximizing compliance?

Answer: Immediately inside the room entrance, visible upon entry

Sinks placed at the room entry are visible reminders and accessible to staff the moment they enter, proven to raise hand hygiene rates.

Why is it important for the project team members to investigate confounding variables before reporting results?

Answer: Findings may have been influences by other factors.

Confounding variables are extraneous factors that can influence both the independent and dependent variables in a study, potentially distorting the true relationship between them. It is crucial for project teams to investigate these variables before reporting results because their unacknowledged presence can lead to inaccurate conclusions. If not accounted for, confounding variables might falsely suggest a cause-and-effect relationship or obscure a real one, compromising the validity and reliability of the research findings.

The four-step EBD process recommended by the Center for Health Design begins with which step?

Answer: Define evidence-based goals

The CHD four-step EBD process begins with defining goals so that research, design decisions, and outcome measurement all remain aligned.

In EBD, a 'benchmark' is best described as:

Answer: A reference point from existing research or high-performing facilities against which design outcomes are compared

Benchmarks in EBD provide comparative targets — drawn from research or peer facilities — allowing teams to assess whether a design intervention achieved meaningful improvement.

The EDAC credential is primarily targeted at which professional audience?

Answer: Healthcare architects, interior designers, facility managers, and administrators involved in design decisions

EDAC is designed for any professional involved in healthcare design decisions — including designers, administrators, and facility managers — not clinical staff.

When measuring or evaluating results, various methodologies can be used. Independently they may have limitations Which of the following described the use of multiple methods to strengthen the validity and reliability of the research project?

Answer: Triangulation

Triangulation is a research technique that involves using multiple methods, data sources, or theories to investigate the same phenomenon. This approach is vital because independent methodologies often have inherent limitations or biases. By combining different perspectives, triangulation strengthens the validity and reliability of research findings, providing a more comprehensive and robust understanding of the subject matter than any single method could achieve alone.

In EBD research ethics, informed consent requires that participants:

Answer: Voluntarily agree to participate after receiving complete information about the study

Informed consent means participants voluntarily choose to participate with full understanding of risks, benefits, and their right to withdraw.

Which tool does the Center for Health Design provide to help EDAC candidates search the healthcare design evidence base?

Answer: The Health Design Research Repository (or CHD Knowledge Repository)

The CHD maintains a curated knowledge repository of healthcare design research specifically designed to support EDAC research and EBD practice.

Which evidence-based design strategy most directly reduces nurse burnout and staff turnover?

Answer: Providing dedicated staff respite areas and reducing unnecessary walking distance

Physical respite spaces and reduced physical demands through efficient layouts are linked to lower nurse fatigue, burnout, and turnover intent.

There is an opportunity for transformational change during a new design and construction project. Who or what group is in the BEST position to drive the change in culture necessary to achieve the vision for the new facility?

Answer: Board of Directors

For transformational change within an organization, particularly in a new design and construction project, leadership from the highest level is paramount. The Board of Directors is in the best position to drive the necessary cultural shift and champion the vision for the new facility. Their strategic oversight and commitment ensure that evidence-based design principles are fully integrated and supported throughout the organization.

Which design strategy best supports infection control in an ICU according to EBD evidence?

Answer: Single-patient private rooms with positive or negative pressure capability

Private rooms with pressure-control capabilities prevent cross-contamination between patients and allow isolation of infectious cases.

When EBD practitioners translate research into design decisions, what is the first recommended step?

Answer: Frame a clear question about the desired outcome

Framing a clear, focused question ensures the research search and design decisions remain aligned with the intended outcome.

In the EDAC framework, what does it mean to 'hypothesize outcomes'?

Answer: Making a testable prediction about how a specific design decision will affect a measurable result

In EBD practice, hypothesizing outcomes means stating upfront, in measurable terms, what change in patient, staff, or organizational outcomes the design is expected to produce.

What does 'confounding variable' mean in the context of EBD research?

Answer: A variable that correlates with both the independent and dependent variables, distorting results

Confounding variables can create false associations between design interventions and outcomes if not controlled.

Which patient outcome is most strongly and directly improved by reducing hospital noise levels?

Answer: Sleep quality and duration

Noise is the single most commonly cited disruptor of patient sleep in hospitals; reducing it directly improves sleep duration and quality.