EDAC Patient Outcomes and Safety 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which psychological effect does access to a window view of nature have on hospitalized patients?
- Reduced pain medication requests and shorter recovery time (Correct answer)
- Increased appetite and faster metabolic recovery
- Improved diagnostic accuracy during clinical assessments
- Reduced risk of surgical site infections
Correct answer: Reduced pain medication requests and shorter recovery time
Roger Ulrich's landmark research showed patients with nature views requested less pain medication and were discharged faster than those facing a wall.
Question 2: Staff travel distance in a nursing unit is most directly linked to which patient safety outcome in EBD?
- Response time to patient calls and emergencies (Correct answer)
- Rate of healthcare-associated infections
- Patient fall rates
- Medication dosing accuracy
Correct answer: Response time to patient calls and emergencies
The longer nurses must walk to reach a patient, the slower response times to call lights and emergencies, which can worsen outcomes.
Question 3: Which HCAHPS domain is most directly influenced by the physical environment of a healthcare facility?
- Quietness of the hospital environment at night (Correct answer)
- Physician communication clarity
- Discharge information comprehensiveness
- Medication side-effect explanation
Correct answer: Quietness of the hospital environment at night
The HCAHPS quietness domain measures patient perceptions of nighttime noise, which is directly controlled by the physical acoustic environment.
Question 4: Evidence-based design most strongly supports which intervention to reduce patient delirium in ICUs?
- Access to natural light to maintain circadian rhythm and day-night orientation (Correct answer)
- Sedation protocols that minimize patient wakefulness
- Reducing family visitation to lower patient stimulation
- Removing clocks and calendars to reduce time anxiety
Correct 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.
Question 5: In EBD, 'patient-controlled environments' refer to:
- Systems that let patients adjust lighting, temperature, and entertainment from the bedside (Correct answer)
- Facilities where patients self-manage their treatment plans
- Rooms in which patients can lock doors for privacy at will
- Clinical protocols developed with patient input
Correct answer: Systems that let patients adjust lighting, temperature, and entertainment from the bedside
Patient-controlled room systems allow patients to personalize their physical environment, which reduces anxiety and improves satisfaction.
Question 6: Which evidence-based design strategy most directly reduces nurse burnout and staff turnover?
- Providing dedicated staff respite areas and reducing unnecessary walking distance (Correct answer)
- Installing motivational signage in staff corridors
- Increasing locker room storage capacity
- Placing staff break rooms adjacent to administrative offices
Correct 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.
EDAC Patient Outcomes and Safety 2
Which psychological effect does access to a window view of nature have on hospitalized patients?