Commercial Architecture February 2018 - 51

PROJECT

interiors

portant in the final selection process, included warranty,

clean and buff rubber floors rapidly by applying water to

installation, price, and a true life-cycle cost analysis.

the floor with a scrubbing pad. Water is removed using a
squeegee, leaving a clean, dry floor in about the same

FLOORING IMPACTS HCAHPS

amount of time it takes to mop. This process eliminates

The economic climate of the healthcare system as a

the need to use harsh chemicals. Premium rubber floors

whole influences the choice of floor coverings. For ex-

also eliminate the labor-intensive application of sealants,

ample, the HCAHPS survey reports results pertaining to

finishes, or strippers.

a patient's experience of care. The eight domains or mea-

Reduce noise levels. For the patient, evidence-based

sures of hospital quality and patient satisfaction include:

research studies show noise has a direct, measurable, and

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communication with nurses

negative impact on healing. Noise can cause sleep dis-

communication with doctors

ruption, which affects wound healing and increases the

responsiveness of hospital staff

need for medication as well as the length of a patient's

pain management

stay. So pervasive is the issue of noise, that question 9 on

cleanliness and quietness of hospital environment

the HCAHPS patient satisfaction survey asks, "During

communication about medicines

this hospital stay, how often was the area around your

discharge information

room quiet at night?" This question consistently receives

overall rating of hospital.

the lowest patient scores.

Flooring attributes have an actionable impact on the

At Nemours, data collected as a part of the POE not-

perception of cleanliness and quietness in the built envi-

ed that footfall sound is no longer heard with the nora

ronment, as it relates to patient care and caregiver safety.

floor, and HCAHPS scores for acoustics improved. Caregivers report the perception of quiet has greatly im-

EVIDENCE-BASED DESIGN

proved, with the premium rubber floor covering absorb-

The 2001 Institute of Medicine Report, "Crossing the

ing many of the sounds associated with hospital alarms

Quality Chasm," suggested 10 fundamental rules to el-

and equipment.

evate the quality of healthcare. Rule number five chal-

Reduce staff fatigue. Even though the new building

lenged providers to use evidence-based decision making

requires more travel distance, there is a direct correlation

and to employ that evidence in healthcare delivery.

to the floor for caregivers and members of the environ-

More than a decade later, it is well established that an ev-

mental services team, who spend most of their work day

idence-based design approach enables decision making

on their feet. Hard, unforgiving flooring surfaces can

on the same level as scientific practices for operational

cause fatigue and have a negative impact on performance

optimization and well being in the healing environment.

Keeping
Classrooms
Quiet and Safe

Acoustical Doors That
Are Also Bullet Resistant
Students and teachers both thrive
in learning spaces free of unwanted
noise. Krieger's acoustical doors
enhance learning by ensuring quite
classrooms, and now they add
safety to the classroom with an
included bullet resistant rating. Plus,
all Krieger doors are manufactured
to your requested size,
style, and finish.
Acoustical
Rating

Bullet
Resistance

by limiting their ability to perform personal and work-re-

STC 45

UL Level 1 & 2

Using an evidence-based design (EBD) approach,

lated activities. Musculoskeletal injuries are chronic in

STC 50

UL Level 3

hospitals such as Nemours are finding that flooring has

nature and the result can result in reduced productivity,

an actionable impact on these performance-improve-

increased absenteeism, opportunities for errors, and

ment goals, as evidenced by a 2012 study conducted by

costs associated with worker compensation, retraining,

The Center for Health Design, "Achieving EBD Goals

and retention.

Through Flooring Selection & Design." The goals are:

On the other hand, surface density is the foundation

Reduce slips, trips and falls. Caregivers at Nemours

of premium rubber flooring. The unique cross-linking of

found the continuous flooring surface in the new facility

materials in production ensures that "not all rubber is

minimized surface transitions and simplified the main-

created equal," so making an informed flooring decision

tenance protocol. This new approach requires little more

is key.

than water and eliminates the need for wax. The proto-

Premium rubber supports caregiver outcomes and

col, along with the inherent slip-resistant properties of

retention and offers a comfort feature when it comes to

premium flooring, reduces the number of slips, trips, and

fatigue and aching backs, legs, and feet. Its content and

falls. Additionally, the flooring fosters health and well-

structure make the floorcovering especially resilient, eas-

ness through the use of a non-coated product. As a result,

ing the stress of walking and standing while ensuring

staff is better able to respond quickly to emergencies with

comfort underfoot and allowing nurses to concentrate

enough traction to eliminate concerns for slipping, while

on their patients.

safety is improved.

At Nemours, caregivers reported their legs do not

Reduce patient and staff injuries associated with

ache while walking on rubber flooring as they did on

falls. The environmental services staff at Nemours re-

conventional flooring, even though pedometer data in-

ports a reduction in injuries, thanks to the cleaning pro-

dicates many of them are walking greater distances in the

cedures for rubber flooring. The physicality of the clean-

new building. In fact, one caregiver noted she no longer

ing regimen provides less physical exertion and fatigue to

needs to wear compression stockings.

the musculoskeletal system. An automatic scrubber can

www.KriegerProducts.com

Reduce surface contamination and HospitalCIRCLE 218

http://www.KriegerProducts.com https://www.cdsreportnow.com/bgs/search?CBP0218201802

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture February 2018