Title: Exploring peoples' needs in a psychiatric ward: social community, design and the interior environment in a healthcare setting

Authors: Neomi Kronish; Tiiu Poldma

Addresses: Jewish General Hospital, 3755 Cote Sainte Catherine Road, Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1E2, Canada ' School of Industrial Design, Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Montreal, P.O. Box 6128 Station Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada

Abstract: This article examines ways to improve the functioning of an in-patient psychiatric ward. Included in the study is a review of psychology and design, an overview of the physical setting and existing services on the ward, as well as feedback from patients and staff regarding potential solutions on how to redesign the interior spaces so as to promote staff-patient community practices and to adhere to their needs. The findings suggest that the interior environments in psychiatric wards affect the functioning and well-being of those who reside or work in the setting and that input from patients and staff can add valuable information on how the spaces might be reconfigured.

Keywords: healthcare environment; healthcare design; interior spaces; healthcare settings; user experiences; social community; psychiatric wards; lived experiences; qualitative research; interpretive analysis; healthcare practices; identity issues; patient well-being; staff well-being; patient needs; psychology; interior design; spatial redesign.

DOI: 10.1504/JDR.2013.057769

Journal of Design Research, 2013 Vol.11 No.4, pp.336 - 350

Received: 19 Oct 2012
Accepted: 19 Jul 2013
Published online: 28 Jun 2014 *

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