Evaluation and recommendations from a study of a critical-care waiting room.

Authors

Lynn M. Deitrick RN, PhD, Lehigh Valley Health NetworkFollow
Daniel Ray MD, Lehigh Valley Health NetworkFollow
Glenn Stern MA, Lehigh Valley Health NetworkFollow
Cathy Fuhrman RN, MSN, Lehigh Valley Health NetworkFollow
Tamara Masiado MA, Lehigh Valley Health NetworkFollow
Sandra L. Yaich
Thomas Wasser PhD, Lehigh Valley Health NetworkFollow

Publication/Presentation Date

7-1-2005

Abstract

The intensive care unit (ICU) waiting room is a dynamic place that influences the satisfaction of families of critically ill patients. Waiting-room comfort and amenities are important, because families often spend a great deal of nonvisiting time there. A quality improvement evaluation of the ICU waiting room at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, PA, was conducted. Methods included distribution of an 18-item family survey, ethnographic observations, interviews, and assessment of the physical environment. Findings suggest that the role of the receptionist and access to food and other services were important to families and influenced their assessment of the quality of services provided by the ICU.

Volume

27

Issue

4

First Page

17

Last Page

25

ISSN

1062-2551

Published In/Presented At

Deitrick, L., Ray, D., Stern, G., Fuhrman, C., Masiado, T., Yaich, S. L., & Wasser, T. (2005). Evaluation and recommendations from a study of a critical-care waiting room. Journal For Healthcare Quality: Official Publication Of The National Association For Healthcare Quality, 27(4), 17-25.

Disciplines

Nursing

PubMedID

16201487

Department(s)

Department of Medicine, Department of Medicine Faculty, Patient Care Services / Nursing, Patient Care Services / Nursing Faculty

Document Type

Article