Photo-Voice as a Data Collection Method in ICU

The demographic changes in Western countries, with an aging population and medical and technological progresses, have meant an increased demand on treating multi-morbid patients in intensive care units (Rashid, 2006). Intensive care room is the core of all activities in providing care for the most critically ill patients. According to European Society of intensive Care Medicine, providing a safe and high quality care requires an integration of human, technological and spatial recourses. The patient rooms in ICU are usually crowded places, characterized by high prevalence of stressors such as high levels of sound and strong lighting and constant activity with a negative effect on the patients’ recovery process. Previous research indicates that the design of patient rooms in ICU can be one of the causes of developing ICU delirium (Dubois, Bergeron, Dumont, Dial och Skrobik 2001). Furthermore, it is highlighted that there is an increase risk of medical errors in ICU environment due to high levels of sound (Christensen, 2002). Patient safety means preventing suffering or damages of any kind, caused by the health care provider or due to milieu related factors. The design and interior of ICU can have an impact on the patient safety and treatment outcomes. The presentation will focus on how design and interior of ICU rooms can meet the demands of patient safety