EDAC Patient Outcomes and Safety 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which design feature has the strongest EBD evidence for directly reducing patient falls?
- Single-patient rooms with bathrooms located close to the bed (Correct answer)
- Handrails on both sides of all patient corridors
- Bed alarm systems integrated into the call light
- Slip-resistant flooring throughout all clinical areas
Correct 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.
Question 2: How does natural light exposure in patient rooms most directly affect health outcomes according to EBD?
- It regulates circadian rhythms, improving sleep quality and reducing length of stay (Correct answer)
- It eliminates the need for artificial lighting, reducing energy costs
- It increases vitamin D levels to near therapeutic doses within one day
- It primarily improves staff productivity rather than patient health
Correct answer: It regulates circadian rhythms, improving sleep quality and reducing length of stay
Natural light synchronizes the body's circadian clock, improving sleep, reducing depression, and correlating with shorter hospital stays.
Question 3: EBD evidence most strongly links reduced healthcare-associated infection rates to:
- Private single-patient rooms with dedicated toileting facilities (Correct answer)
- Shared patient bathrooms equipped with UV disinfection robots
- Increased staff-to-patient ratios without room changes
- Air curtains at room entrances rather than door closures
Correct answer: Private single-patient rooms with dedicated toileting facilities
Private rooms with dedicated bathrooms prevent pathogen cross-transmission between patients, which is a primary source of HAIs.
Question 4: Which patient outcome is most strongly and directly improved by reducing hospital noise levels?
- Sleep quality and duration (Correct answer)
- Wound healing rate
- Medication adherence post-discharge
- Surgical complication rates
Correct 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.
Question 5: According to EBD research, which design element most effectively reduces nurse medication errors?
- Dedicated, enclosed medication preparation rooms that minimize interruptions (Correct answer)
- Larger medication carts with color-coded drawers
- Medication scanning stations located in patient corridors
- Overhead display screens showing medication schedules
Correct answer: Dedicated, enclosed medication preparation rooms that minimize interruptions
Interruption during medication preparation is a leading cause of errors; dedicated rooms physically shield nurses from interruptions.
Question 6: How does patient room standardization improve safety outcomes in EBD practice?
- Consistent layouts allow staff to locate equipment quickly, reducing errors from unfamiliarity (Correct answer)
- Standardization lowers the cost of purchasing supplies in bulk
- Identical rooms ensure equal distribution of patients across units
- Standard rooms simplify regulatory inspections and accreditation surveys
Correct answer: Consistent layouts allow staff to locate equipment quickly, reducing errors from unfamiliarity
When rooms are identical, staff do not need to reorient in each room, reducing the cognitive errors that arise from variable layouts.
EDAC Patient Outcomes and Safety 1
Which design feature has the strongest EBD evidence for directly reducing patient falls?