Abstract
Introduction: Great investments are made in new hospital buildings all in favour of single bedrooms for patients. Conclusions regarding the impact of single bedrooms versus multi bedrooms vary. Method: We performed semi-structured interviews with patients undergoing surgery for rectal cancer about their preferences and experiences regarding hospitalization in a single bedroom or a multi bedroom. The data were collected during 2016. Results: The company of fellow patients seems to be of great importance. Patients find the company healing and it contributed to feeling safer. Disturbances like sound and too much activity in a four bedroom is a problem. Most patients preferred single bedrooms when talking to visitors and when they felt very sick. Conclusion: Many patients preferred four bedrooms over single bedrooms because of the company from fellow patients. This conflicts with the tendency in modern hospital design which favors all single bedrooms.
Highlights
Great investments are made in new hospital buildings all in favour of single bedrooms for patients
Most patients preferred single bedrooms when talking to visitors and when they felt very sick
Reviews about evidence based health care design conclude that single bedrooms decrease infection rate and promote healing and sleep quality [7,8,9] conflicting results on infection rate reduction are found by others [3,10]
Summary
Great investments are made in new hospital buildings all in favour of single bedrooms for patients. Conclusions regarding the impact of single bedrooms versus multi bedrooms vary. In these years great investments are made in hospital buildings and renovations all in favour of single bedrooms for patients [1]. On the other hand, being cared for in a single bedroom means that patients can have a feeling of security, because they are able to create a personal environment without disruptive elements. This allows patients to focus on themselves and is thought to facilitate recovery [11]. Contrary, being admitted to a single bedroom imply feelings of loneliness and isolation, which can be frightening [11].According to Williams & Gardiner, fellow patients can provide a feeling of safety and prevent the feeling of isolation, and this might even shorten length of hospital stay, but the positive interaction can be vulnerable if a patient becomes very sick or delirious [11,14,15]
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