EDAC Healthcare Facility Design Principles 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which room configuration is most strongly supported by EBD evidence for reducing patient falls?
- Acuity-adaptable single-patient rooms with bathroom near the bed (Correct answer)
- Multi-bed wards with shared bathrooms at the end of the hall
- Open bay layouts with central nursing station monitoring
- Double-occupancy rooms with curtain dividers
Correct answer: Acuity-adaptable single-patient rooms with bathroom near the bed
Single-patient acuity-adaptable rooms with bathrooms positioned near the bed reduce the distance patients must travel, lowering fall risk.
Question 2: What is the primary EBD rationale for decentralized nursing stations?
- They reduce nurse walking distance and increase time at the bedside (Correct answer)
- They lower construction costs by eliminating a central hub
- They improve physician communication by centralizing records
- They reduce noise in administrative areas
Correct answer: They reduce nurse walking distance and increase time at the bedside
Decentralized nursing stations place nurses closer to patient rooms, reducing travel time and increasing direct patient care time.
Question 3: In evidence-based design, 'wayfinding' primarily addresses:
- How patients, visitors, and staff navigate through a healthcare facility (Correct answer)
- The structural pathways for utility systems within walls
- Regulatory evacuation routes required by fire codes
- The flow of medical supplies from loading dock to units
Correct answer: How patients, visitors, and staff navigate through a healthcare facility
Wayfinding encompasses all environmental cues — signage, landmarks, layout — that help people orient and navigate a healthcare facility.
Question 4: Which design feature is most supported by evidence for reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)?
- Hands-free handwashing sinks at the point of care (Correct answer)
- Carpeted flooring in patient corridors
- Shared patient bathrooms between adjacent rooms
- Recirculated air systems without HEPA filtration
Correct answer: Hands-free handwashing sinks at the point of care
Placing hands-free sinks at the point of care increases hand hygiene compliance, which is the most effective method of reducing HAIs.
Question 5: What does 'patient-centered care' mean in the context of EBD facility design?
- Design decisions are driven by patient needs, preferences, and outcomes (Correct answer)
- Patients participate directly in architectural drawings
- All facility spaces are physically centered around a patient lounge
- Patient billing and administration are co-located with clinical spaces
Correct answer: Design decisions are driven by patient needs, preferences, and outcomes
Patient-centered design prioritizes the patient's physical, emotional, and social needs as the primary driver of all design decisions.
Question 6: Which ceiling height and layout feature is most associated with reduced feelings of patient anxiety in evidence-based design?
- Higher ceilings with access to natural light and views of nature (Correct answer)
- Low ceilings with warm artificial lighting and no windows
- Industrial open-grid ceilings with recessed fluorescent fixtures
- Mirror-covered ceilings to create a sense of space
Correct answer: Higher ceilings with access to natural light and views of nature
Higher ceilings combined with natural light and nature views reduce perceived crowding and anxiety in healthcare patients.
EDAC Healthcare Facility Design Principles 1
Which room configuration is most strongly supported by EBD evidence for reducing patient falls?