Evidence-Based Design in the Hospital Environment: A Staff's Burnout Study in the COVID-19 Era

HERD. 2023 Apr;16(2):236-249. doi: 10.1177/19375867221148168. Epub 2023 Jan 23.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the evidence-based design of the hospital physical space effect on the burnout of nurses and physicians during COVID-19. The research question was to identify the connection between daylight, nature-view windows, and hospital staff burnout during Covid-19.

Background: The evidence-based design in the hospital environment affects the health of the medical staff. The promotion of the hospital environment has a significant effect on healthcare system improvement.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 406 nurses and physician's burnout in Guilan province in 2020. Three questionnaires were used: demographic, physical space of the hospital, daylight, nature-view windows, and Maslach Burnout Inventory. Logistic regression (LR) analysis was used to determine the association between burnout and the hospital environment. The significance level was considered with p < .05.

Results: The results showed statistically significant correlations between patient units and the environmental characteristics of the hospitals with staff's burnout (p < .001). Of note, 62.9% of physicians and 71.9% of nurses had moderate work-related burnout. The highest burnout score was seen among staffs of emergency departments adjusted multivariate LR model revealed that 27.1% of work-related burnout in nurses and physicians was predictable with age, light, marital status, and hospitals. Our results showed that accessing more daylight could reduce burnout (p = .018, odds ratio [OR] = 0.910).

Conclusion: Based on the result, the daylight impact on burnout reduction is more significant than other factors. It is suggested that adequate lighting, proper environmental design, and nature-view windows could create appropriate space for enhancing medical staff satisfaction and reducing burnout.

Keywords: burnout; daylight; environment; hospital; medical staff; work space.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Burnout, Professional* / epidemiology
  • Burnout, Professional* / prevention & control
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • COVID-19* / therapy
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Hospital Design and Construction* / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Male
  • Medical Staff, Hospital* / psychology
  • Medical Staff, Hospital* / statistics & numerical data
  • Middle Aged
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital* / psychology
  • Nursing Staff, Hospital* / statistics & numerical data
  • Risk Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult