To improve the healthcare environment where nurses work and patients receive care, it is necessary to understand the elements that define the healthcare environment. Primary elements include (a) the occupants of the room and what knowledge, skills, and abilities they bring to the situation; (b) what tasks the occupants will be doing in the room; and (c) the characteristics of the built environment. To better understand these components, a task analysis from human factor research was conducted to study nurses as they cared for hospitalized patients. Multiple methods, including a review of nursing textbooks, observations, and interviews, were used to describe nurses' capabilities, nursing activities, and the environmental problems with current patient room models. Findings from this initial study are being used to inform the design and evaluation of an inpatient room prototype and to generate future research in improving clinical environments to support nursing productivity.

Background: College students are experiencing increasing levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, but little research exists on factors weakening the mental health of design students.Aim: This study investigates the prevalence and precursors of mental health challenges among architecture and landscape architecture students.Methods: This study used a convergent mixed-methods research design with three data collection methods: The Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21; n = 399 students), an online wellness survey (n = 269), and semi-structured interviews (n = 37).Results: Findings reveal that 33%, 46%, and 33% of students screened positive for moderate to extremely severe levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. The leading factors elevating stress included school deadlines and schedule, workload demands or amount of work outside of class, inadequate sleep, and time spent at work. Negative behaviors due to stress were discussed, including neglect of self-care (e.g., poor sleep patterns, eating habits, and physical inactivity), inability to focus, emotional instability, and social withdrawal.Conclusions: This study underscores mental health concerns among design students and identifies potential factors that contribute to unhealthy habits and compromise academic performance, including pedagogical approaches, learning and teaching culture, studio environment, and lifestyle choices.

Background: Universities face increasing pressure to model healthy campuses in response to the ongoing mental health crisis, yet limited research explores ways to improve student wellness. Aim: This study explored strategies architecture and landscape architecture students adopt to overcome stress and solutions for promoting wellness in a school of architecture. Methods: The study utilized a convergent mixed methods research design. First, design students (n = 277) responded to an online wellness survey to explore how they lower stress during their academic studies. Second, semi-structured interviews (n = 37) uncovered students’ coping mechanisms to overcome stress during their academic studies and recommendations for creating a more healthful environment. Results: Strategies students most often adopted to lower stress were socializing, sleeping, exercising, taking personal time, spending time outdoors, and improving time management. Students recommended improving communication and time management, a sense of community, and building a health and wellness culture. Findings were translated into design considerations for creating healthier places on college campuses. Conclusions: Design students employ a variety of strategies to overcome the debilitating effects of mental distress. Policies and campus planning efforts should work toward student-informed solutions to promote wellness.