Configuring a family friendly inpatient setting

Abstract

The hospital facilities are not structures designed just to accommodate clinical functions and facilities, however they are combination of organized systems working together to meet other diverse functional requirements within the hospital complex. For the hospital to meet the requirements of such wide range of issues, attention has to be paid to each and every component making the hospital whole from the early stages of the design process, especially user needs and preferences. Among the patient’s needs is social support from family. Family presence and participation in caring for their relatives have been identified to have significant impact on restoration, however little or no consideration is given for their accommodation. This study is aimed at exploring the space-activity patterns of familial caregiving activities in a hospital ward spaces that will guide design process. Principles of behavioural mapping was employed in male and female wards of one of the tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. Findings shows that four major spaces within the ward setting where such activities are dominant. Thus proper planning and configuration of such spaces with provision for family will go a long way in promoting and encouraging their presence and participation that will consequently improve restoration.