New Medical: Workplace Design

Thesis Topic:

Design to Promote Well-being in the Working Environment for Chinese Pediatric Medical Staff

Background:

In 2022, the Chinese pediatric medical industry served 32,510,231 young people and plays an essential role in public society. However, because of the current trend of "patient-centered" healthcare, the workplace design and physician experience are often overlooked. The research shows that 56.6 percent of Chinese pediatricians suffer from job burnout. This research investigates the high levels of the physical environment's negative impact on physicians' mental health in their workplace due to stress and working conditions. And the design research seeks interior design interventions to improve the workspace design for optimum user experiences to reduce stress, trigger restoration and positive emotions for the users, and promote increased job satisfaction.

Design Significant:

This thesis proposes creating a new working environment for Chinese pediatric medical staff, which rethinks the relationships between care departments and changes the floor levels adjacency to make a more cohesive pediatric medical community. The design of the critical experience spaces not only connects the design implications and emphasizes the user's culture and customs to relieve their fatigue and stress at work. 

The significance of this research study is to expand understanding and practice for designing health and well-being in work environments and specifically medical office design to prevent job burnout. Supporting the well-being of medical staff ensures a better healthcare system and human-centered environments in interior design.

User Analysis:

This thesis focuses on the needs of primary end-user groups, including Chinese pediatric doctors and nurses in the outpatient and inpatient care departments. The secondary user group is the patient, children, and their parents, who seek good treatment from physicians and have direct contact with physicians in consulting rooms and nursing stations.

Research Findings:

The review of literature is broken down into themes which include individual behavior, social connection, and the work environment. Three research methods were selected to find new knowledge, including qualitative and quantitative research methods targeting pediatric medical staff needs. The survey, interview, and case study triangulated key research findings that were analyzed to improve the user experience. 

Design Implications:

Concept: "Sense of Relief and Transmission"

In nature, when an object falls into calm water, ripples will form on the water's surface, spreading outward from the center point. This natural phenomenon of interconnectedness and influence is called the "ripple effect," where people's words, actions, and feelings affect those around them. Ripples inspire the design. The entire space will focus on relieving and restoring people's work stress, anxiety, and fatigue. The positive emotions and feelings spread outward in the area to promote connectivity and interaction in the medical care staff community.

Site and Building Analysis:

Spatial Organization:

Problem: "The two pediatric care departments' locations are far apart."

Solution: Moving the inpatient department on the fifth floor down to the second floor to connect with the outpatient department on the first floor in order to promote collaboration through the closeness of the pediatric medical environment and manageability of distance traveled by physicians and staff.

User Journey with Axonometric Plan:

Application of Evidenced-Based Design:

1. Promote Flexibility - Nursing Station

2. Transmission - Corridor

3. Restoration - Consulting Room

4. Cohesive Community - Lounge Room

5. Restoration - Physicians' Office

6. Evoke Positive Emotions - Conference Room