Medical Facility Staff Can Also Benefit from Better Lighting

Medical Facility Staff Can Also Benefit from Better Lighting

A

PROJECT PROPOSAL

ON

A DESIGN PROPOSAL FOR A SPECIALISTHOSPITAL IN AKURE

(EFFECTS OF LIGHTING ON USERS IN HOSPITAL DESIGN)

WRITTEN BY

OMISADE OLUWASEUN AYOBAMI

ARC/00/4984

SUBMITTED TO THE COURSE LECTURER

PROF OLU OLA OGUNSOTE

OF

THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

FEDERALUNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, AKURE

ONDOSTATE

INTRODUCTION

Lighting is of critical importance in our world and it plays great impact in the way spaces are viewed and this is why architecture and lighting are two things that cannot be separated we have various form of lighting which are basically divided into two type which are natural and artificial and they play different roles depending on the space and the type of building and they could compliment each other. An adequate level of lighting isessential if even basic tasks are to be carried out. Lighting also has animportant impact on running costs, with substantial savings being possibleif energy-efficient, effectively controlled lamps and luminaires are installed, with maintenance being considered at the design stage. But good lighting can and should be much more than this. Carefullydesigned lighting can transform the appearance of a space making itattractive, welcoming and either restful or stimulating depending on theeffect created. It can enhance the architectural appearance of the spaceand contribute to orientation and way finding. Lighting is a one of the crucial elements to be considered when designing a functional hospital and knowing the delicate nature of hospitals based on the function it plays this issue must be well trashed out at the design stage and considerable effort must be put into this because it looks simple but it could either make or mar the project depending on how it is handled.Light have psychological properties that play an important role in defining theambience of a space in terms of its pleasantness, cheerfulness and intimacy, comfort. Therefore consideration of light is essential in the design of hospital in, asthe correct lighting approach will help achieve the greatest possible visual satisfaction.

The present study examine the exact effect lighting in all its ramification on hospital design as it affect how spaces are viewed and the implications on the occupants of such spacesand if it really has health implications either negatively or positively.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

It has been discovered that there is a great deal of relationship between the design of a building and the function it perform and beyond that the effect the building gives the occupants taking into considerationvarious factor like lighting, acoustics and so on has either been wonderful or tales of woes .The hospital building which is my main focus is beyond just having an edifice but having an environment both within and outside that plays a role in the life of the user of the structure. It has been discovered that various factors contribute to the healing process of the patient beyond the drugs and the treatments and this can be incorporated through proper consideration of such factors in the design of a hospital. So lighting being one of these factors is what I want to consider and really see how proper consideration of lighting before and during design can affect the environment in the hospital, alongside with was has been done in the past.

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

Aim

The aim of this study is to knowwhat impact lightinghas on hospital design.

Objective

  • The various types of light will be examined
  • To examine lighting as it relate to architecture
  • To have the views of both professionals and the layman on lighting
  • To examine what hospital and its design entails
  • To examine the relationship between lighting and hospital design

Statement of Hypothesis

The hypotheses to be tested in this research are:

1)There are no significant differences in the between daylighting and artificial lighting in hospital design

2)There are no significant effects of lighting on the wellbeing of patients and other users of the hospital.

3)There are no significant differences in the way perceive the lighting conditions of a place

SCOPE OF STUDY

The scope of study has been limited to effect of lighting in hospital design because from here we can really find out the effect on other type of buildings if there is really any .

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Te research methods to be used are

1)the use of questionnaire

2)conducting interview

3)consulting literature

4)searching the web

WHAT IS A HOSPITAL?

A hospital is an institution for health care, often but not always providing for longer-term patient stays. Today, hospitals are usually funded by the state, health organizations (for profit or non-profit), health insurances or charities, including direct charitable donations. In history, however, they were often founded and funded by religious orders or charitable individuals and leaders. Hospitals are nowadays staffed by professional physicians, surgeons and nurses, whereas in history, this work was usually done by the founding religious orders or by volunteers.

Types

Some patients in a hospital come just for diagnosis and/or therapy and then leave ('outpatients'); while others are 'admitted' and stay overnight or for several weeks or months ('inpatients'). Hospitals are usually distinguished from other types of medical facilities by their ability to admit and care for inpatients.

General hospitals

The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which is set up to deal with many kinds of disease and injury, and typically has an emergency ward to deal with immediate threats to health and the capacity to dispatch emergency medical services. A general hospital is typically the major health care facility in its region, with large numbers of beds for intensive care and long-term care; and specialized facilities for surgery, plastic surgery, childbirth, bioassay laboratories, and so forth. Larger cities may have many different hospitals of varying sizes and facilities.

Specialized hospitals

Types of specialized hospitals include trauma centers, children's hospitals, seniors' (geriatric) hospitals, and hospitals for dealing with specific medical needs such as psychiatric problems (see psychiatric hospital), certain disease categories, and so forth.

A hospital may be a single building or a campus. (Many hospitals with pre-20th-century origins began as one building and evolved into campuses.) Some hospitals are affiliated with universities for medical research and the training of medical personnel. Worldwide, most hospitals are run on a non-profit basis by governments or charities. Within the United States, most hospitals are not-for-profit.

Clinics

A medical facility smaller than a hospital is called a clinic, and is often run by a government agency for health services or a private partnership of physicians (in nations where private practice is allowed). Clinics generally provide only outpatient services.

Teaching hospital

A teaching hospital (or university hospital) is that who combines assistance to patients with teaching to medical students.

Other facilities

Many hospitals have hospital volunteer programs where people (usually students and senior citizens) can volunteer and provide various ancillary services.

Hospitals may be required by law to have backup power generators, in case of a blackout. Additionally they may be placed on special high priority segments of the public works (utilities) infrastructure to ensure continuity of care during a state of emergency.

records department

ARCHITECTURE

Modern hospital buildings are designed to minimize the effort of medical personnel and the possibility of contamination while maximizing the efficiency of the whole system. Travel time for personnel within the hospital and the transportation of patients between units is facilitated and minimized. The building also should be built to accommodate heavy departments such as radiology and operating rooms; while space for special wiring, plumbing and waste disposal must be allowed for in the design.

However, the reality is that many hospitals, even those considered 'modern', are the product of continual, and often badly managed growth over decades or even centuries, with utilitarian new sections added on as needs and finances dictate.

Some newer hospital designs now try to reestablish design that takes the patient's psychological needs into account, such as providing for more air, better views, more pleasant color schemes and better lighting. These ideas harken back to the late 18th century, when the concept of providing fresh air and access to the 'healing powers of nature' were first employed by hospital architects in improving their buildings.

Another major change which is still ongoing in many parts of the world is the change from a ward-based system (where patients are treated and accommodated in communal rooms, separated at best by movable partititions) to a room-based environment, where patients are accommodated in private rooms.

LIGHTING AND HOSPITAL DESIGN

The presence of light in life is not just a matter of functionality, but also a matter that strongly affects the way that people feel. Daylight is something people take for granted in all its forms. This includes the fact that it rarely stays the same for long, changing from dawn to dusk and is also dependant on the weather conditions.

A bright sunny day or a fresh winter morning can stimulate and inspire, whereas an overcast dark late afternoon can have the opposite effect. Similarly, the choice of artificial lighting should take into consideration the psychological influence that it has on

the occupier of the space. This is particularly important in areas where the person is there for long periods of time, such as a patient in a hospital bed. The things that are important to compliment good lighting are fairly simple as follows.

(i)Light that reproduces the visual spectrum accurately –Correct quantity of light

(ii) Light without glare

(iii)Light in the right place

Ambience and task lighting is important. The balance between this positioning and achieving no more and no less is the science of lighting design. Too often people over light a space just to be on the safe side. The quantity of light in a particulardirection will also consider depreciation over a period of time, and this may mean a calculation that only focuses on the worst case. One of the most popular ways of lighting a room is by reflecting light from the ceiling.

The need for adjustment may be functional or personal. In ward lighting there may be several different activities that require vastly different levels of illumination. These would include examination and treatment through to reading and resting. To be able to offer these options from one source, rather than a variety of different luminaries for eachfunction, is a benefit in cost and also flexibility. The need for change is a simple calculation of minimum illumination levels that are acceptable forparticular tasks, some more critical than others. The need for variety returns again to the need for light that enhance a feeling of wellbeing or relaxation.

Medical facility staff can also benefit from better lighting. Studies have been completed on the performance of night shift nurses under bright lights. By shifting the circadian rhythms of thenurses with the use of brighter lights, nurses were able to improve the number of correct answersgiven in a standardized exam and decrease the time to take the test. The nightshift nurses demonstrate the effects that brighter lights have on medical facility workers andshow the positive affects of better lighting conditions in medical buildings.

DAYLIGHTING

The Way Station, a mental health facility located in Frederick, Maryland, created a pleasing andhealing environment that promotes the well-being of people with serious mental illnesses. The Way Station was designed to allow daylight into different sections of thefacility. Daylight has enhanced the lives of the people in the building; the “members” and staffsay the building “makes them feel great and they love having daylight in almost every room.

A 2001 study by Benedetti, et al. on the effects of bright artificial light on nonseasonal

depression substantiates benefits for patients with psychological disorders. Length of

hospitalization for depressed inpatients was recorded for thoseassigned to rooms with an eastern or western window. Bipolar inpatients in eastern rooms(exposed to direct sunlight in the morning) had a mean 3.67-day shorter hospital stay thanpatients in western rooms. However, no effect was seen for unipolar patients. Benedetti, concluded, “natural light can be an underestimated and uncontrolled light therapy forbipolar depression. “And the amount of light significantly affected [length of stay] and mortality in the patient populations studied.

Sunlight has been proposed as one means of non-chemical disinfection of inside environments. Sunlight therapy and solar architecture. Light from the sky is particularly important in hospitals. It gives excellent colourrendering, making many clinical tasks easier. It can also givesignificant energy savings by displacing the need for electric lighting.The diurnal variation in daylight can help patients (particularly those who arein hospital for a long time) maintain their body clocks . Daylight is alsoconstantly changing as the sun moves round the sky and as clouds formand move about. This short-term variation gives variety and interest.

To make the most of the daylight entering a building, the following

strategies are needed:

(i)Zone spaces so that activities which do not require daylight arelocated in the non-day-lit core, leaving other areas to be attractivelyday-lit.

(ii)The distribution of light needs to be considered.

(iii)The space should not be too deep. In a deep space, the interior will

tend to look gloomy in comparison with the brightly lit perimeterIn a typical side-lit hospital space, areas over six to sevenmetres from the perimeter (more if the window head is unusually high)will tend to look gloomy unless supplementary lighting is provided, it has beenfound that 91% of hospital patients questioned thought sunlight was apleasure, while 62% of staff thought it was a nuisance. Patients like sunlight.

Use of a roof light to the rear ofa hospital ward provides additional lighting

and improves the distribution of lightAreas which cannot receivedirect light from the sky will tend to lookgloomy. Daylight penetration in rooms offcourtyards.Even if courtyards are internaland do not receive much light, they cangive a view out and contact with theoutside, particularly if planting is providedbecause it gives light and warmth, and is seen as having a therapeuticeffect; there is some evidence for this

For many hospital areas, therefore, the appropriate strategy is to provideaccess to not only sunlight, but also adjustable shading to controloverheating and glare.

Access to sunlight will depend on window orientation and onovershadowing by obstructions. In general, spaces lit solely by windowsfacing within 45 degrees of due north will be perceived as poorly sunlit, windows within 90 degrees of due north are also likely to give little sun ifthere are significant obstructions to the south.

Sunlight in outdoor spaces around the hospital is also valued, both forsitting out and to give pleasant views from inside. Asked if they wouldprefer a pleasant sun-lit view with no indoor sun rather than indoor sunshinewith an unpleasant view, 50% of patients opted for the view Courtyards, particularly deep ones, are generally poorly sun-lit unless they

are opened out to the south.

ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING

Electric lighting design covers a range of issues.

(i)Task illumination: being able to see to move around safely and carryout tasks which may be simple or complex.

(ii)Lighting appearance: providing a good-quality visual environment.

(iii)Architectural integration with the design and the physical elements ofthe building, and particularly with daylight where it is available.

(iv)Energy efficiency: including the specification of appropriate lighting

controls as well as efficient lamps and luminaries.

Lighting requirements for a reception desk in an entrance area will be different from that of a nurse’sstation in a ward complex. It is essential for the designer to have a clear

Understanding of what goes on in each of the spaces for which the lightingis being designed.

The quality of the visual environment has a positive effect on the occupant’sfeeling of well-being and in the case of hospitals and healthcare buildingsthis can affect staff performance and patient recovery.

For example, harsh lighting has been identified as one of a series ofstressors that can lead to episodes of delirium in a critical care unitIn the neonatal ward, appropriate lighting can result in improveddevelopment of sleep patterns and reducedretinal damage The elderly and partially sighted particularly benefitfrom good quality, low-glarelighting .

In planning lighting for tasks the first issue is to understand thenature of the tasks and to some extent the visual ability of the peopleconcerned. For example, if the task is critical in terms of accuracy andperhaps the detail is small, such as when applying stitches to an openwound, then lighting will need to be at a higher level, or illuminance, thanfor a less visually critical task such as moving equipment around the ward.