Hospital Lighting - Part III - Concerns of Health care Staff

The lighting concerns for Doctors and other medical staff are

·        Diagnosis of patient symptoms,

·        Analysis of scan reports & X-rays

·        Reducing patient anxiety while interacting with them

·        Reducing fatigue during long working hours, night shifts

·        Reducing depression due to constant interaction with ailing patients

As we see above, the concerns can range from practical professional requirements to intangible psychological dormant needs.

Professional requirements

The lighting in wards is critical to evaluate symptoms like color of skin and eyes. Also detailed analysis of diagnostic reports like MRI scans, X-rays is part of a health professional’s daily routine - which makes quality lux without color distortions imperative. The lighting should be uniform, shadow free and not be glaring.

Above all the criticality of focused lighting without heat inside an operation theatre cannot be over-stressed. LEDs are eminently recommended for focused, high lumen and heat free lighting for precision surgeries.

Psychological aspects

Coming to the psychological aspects of lighting in hospitals, cheerful bright lighting reduces patient anxiety when interacting with the doctor. Gloomy lighting will heighten the stress levels of patients and can affect his interaction with the Doctor.

For health staff working in trauma care and emergency wards, rapid recovery from stress will prevent burn-out; also for those hospital staff working on night-shifts. The rest rooms of health staff should have dimmable lights and soothing colors on walls to facilitate unwinding.

One of the side-effects of being a Doctor or Nurse is increasing probability of depression - especially to those working with patients with mental-illness. Depression can also be triggered with the unfortunate death of a patient under medical care. The staff room of health staff should be mentally and physically soothing for health staff.

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Poseidon Lighting, based in Chennai, India, designs and manufactures LED lights. Poseidon's Lights are designed to be highly efficient and last longer than other LED lights by employing a unique heat removal technology.  Our range of products meets the needs of lighting office spaces, warehouses, factories and most commercial establishments.

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Recent lighting solutions planned and implemented for hospitals by Poseidon Lighting -o   Sundaram Medical Foundation, Chennai - ICU, ICCU & Pre-natal care ICU

      o   Chennai Meenaksi hospital (Devaki Hospital), Chennai - Operation theatre

      o   Frontier Mediville, Elavur, 45kms from Chennai - Research Laboratary

      o   Vaidyaratnam Oushadhasala, Ollur near Thrissur, Kerala

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www.poseidonlighting.com

E-mail: rama@poseidonlighting.com

Telephone:       +91-44-27922239/27921326

Fax:                +91-44-27921333

Hospital Lighting Part II – Concerns of patients

Recent research has revealed that patients in East facing hospital rooms stay 3 to 4 days less in the hospital. Light plays such a critical role in the recovery of sick. That’s why the subject of health-care lighting is acquiring significance, and much research is being done in this particular field.

The comfort level of the patients
For a patient on the bed, bright direct light on the eyes will increase his fatigue and stress level. Direct illumination should be avoided.
Ideally the light should be behind his head and it should also be diffused.

Concerns of circadian rhythm
Keeping the patients in uniform light throughout the day will affect the circadian rhythm, thus affecting his sleep cycle. That’s why the lights should be dimmable. If the mechanism facilitates gradual dimming and brightening along with the day-night cycle it is ideal.
This circadian rhythm is very critical in pre-mature babies. Studies have shown that varying lighting in the incubator along with the day-night cycles has a positive effect on the baby.

Psychological effects
For long staying patients monotony is a major factor. If possible warm and white light can be alternated to relieve the boredom.
White light is helpful during the visit of physicians, when he may be required to study the patient’s symptoms and diagnostic reports. In other times warm lighting will ensure a psychological calmness to the patient  

Infections and other concerns of hygiene
Maintenance of hygiene is a major concern in hospitals. It’s all the more critical in operations theatres and ICUs.
Light fixtures should not accumulate dust and they should be easy cleanable. LED bulbs should be used in hospitals, since it doesn’t require frequent maintenance, thus eliminating frequent movement of maintenance personnel in critically sanitized areas.

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Poseidon Lighting, based in Chennai, India, designs and manufactures LED lights. Poseidon's Lights are designed to be highly efficient and last longer than other LED lights by employing a unique heat removal technology.  Our range of products meets the needs of lighting office spaces, warehouses, factories and most commercial establishments.

......................................................................................

Recent lighting solutions planned and implemented for hospitals by Poseidon Lighting -

o   Sundaram Medical Foundation, Chennai - ICU, ICCU & Pre-natal care ICU

o   Chennai Meenaksi hospital (Devaki Hospital), Chennai - Operation theatre

o   Frontier Mediville, Elavur, 45kms from Chennai - Research Laboratary

o   Vaidyaratnam Oushadhasala, Ollur near Thrissur, Kerala

…………………………………………………………………………………………

www.poseidonlighting.com

E-mail: rama@poseidonlighting.com

Telephone:       +91-44-27922239/27921326

Fax:                +91-44-27921333

Hospital Lighting - Issues & Concerns

Lighting in a hospital has a higher criticality than other commercial applications.

Health care industry is waking up to the issues in hospital lighting and research has been initiated to study the various aspects of lighting.
Now, to answer the fundamental question – Why is hospital lighting critical?

·         Lighting Issues relevant to patients

                  1.       The comfort level of the patients

2.       Concerns of circadian rhythm

3.       Psychological effects

4.       Infections and other concerns of hygiene

      ·         Lighting Issues relevant to Health Staff

1.       Precision in Diagnosis and Treatment

2.       Fatigue and stress management

      ·         Lighting Issues relevant to hospital administration

1.       General area lighting

2.       Maintenance cost and effort

In subsequent blogs we will analyze each aspect in more detail so that Architects, Interior decorators, Electrical contractors and Lighting consultants can benefit from our study.

………………………………………………………………………………….

Poseidon Lighting, based in Chennai, India, designs and manufactures LED lights. Poseidon's Lights are designed to be highly efficient and last longer than other LED lights by employing a unique heat removal technology.  Our range of products meets the needs of lighting office spaces, warehouses, factories and most commercial establishments.

......................................................................................

Recent lighting solutions planned and implemented for hospitals by Poseidon Lighting -

o   Sundaram Medical Foundation, Chennai - ICU, ICCU & Pre-natal care ICU

o   Chennai Meenaksi hospital (Devaki Hospital), Chennai - Operation theatre

o   Frontier Mediville, Elavur, 45kms from Chennai - Research Laboratary

o   Vaidyaratnam Oushadhasala, Ollur near Thrissur, Kerala

…………………………………………………………………………………………

www.poseidonlighting.com

E-mail:  rama@poseidonlighting.com

Telephone:         +91-44-27922239/27921326

Fax:                       +91-44-27921333