The Effects of Interior Design Parameters on the Design Quality of Nurse Stations

This paper focuses on the significance of design quality in working areas of nurses in healthcare interiors. Although nurses are healthcare staff that are in close contact with patients and have busy schedules during their working hours, their satisfaction and perceptions are not considered thoroughly in healthcare interiors. Several reasons can be affecting this issue; but lack of awareness and lack of supply-demand are the most preliminary and significant problems in this study. Therefore, the study aims to expand awareness on the importance of design quality in nurse stations regarding the role of interior design parameters. Understanding the role of design parameters affecting nurses’ perceptions of working areas are crucial parameters for positive evaluations of healthcare interiors. In this context, plan layout, color, material, furniture and lighting as interior design parameters were analyzed according to the physical and psychological needs of nurses in this study. Methodology of the study includes face-to-face questionnaires, which were conducted with 127 nurses from selected four hospitals located in İzmir. Questionnaires consisted of five parts: pre-questionnaire, plan and furniture layout, color, light and material. The data were analyzed through SPSS software. In addition to the questionnaires, two nurses from each of the four hospitals were interviewed. The overall analysis was re-evaluated by literature review as well as the results from observations. In conclusion, the physical and psychological needs of nurses in their working area were revealed.