Applied Nursing Research
Volume 18, Issue 1 , Pages 22-28, February 2005

Enhancing the therapeutic potential of hospital environments by increasing the personal control and emotional comfort of hospitalized patients☆☆☆

  • Anne M. Williams, PhD, RN

      Affiliations

    • National Health and Medical Research Council, Nedlands, Western Autralia 6009, Australia
    • Centre for Nursing Research, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital/Edith Cowan University, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Centre for Nursing Research, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, “R” Block, 3rd Floor, South Wing, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia. Tel.: +61 8 9346 3140; fax: +61 8 9346 4965.
    • ,
  • Vera F. Irurita, PhD, RN

      Affiliations

    • School of Nursing and Midwifery, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia

Abstract 

Previous literature has revealed that patients in various health-care facilities worldwide have experienced dissatisfaction with aspects of the hospital environment. This article focuses on the impact of the hospital environment on patients' perceptions of personal control. The grounded theory method was used, and interviews with 40 patient participants and 75 hours of field observations provided data for this study. Personal control was found to be a central feature of emotional comfort, a therapeutic state that was considered to be an integral part of recovery. This study outlines some new directions for enhancing the therapeutic potential of hospital environments.

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☆ This article described findings from a research carried out for a PhD degree at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Curtin University of Technology, Perth Western Australia.

☆☆ This study was supported financially by an Australian Postgraduate Awards as well as by the Olive Anstey Nursing Fund.

PII: S0897-1897(04)00087-4

doi:10.1016/j.apnr.2004.11.001

Applied Nursing Research
Volume 18, Issue 1 , Pages 22-28, February 2005

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