Evaluation of Healthcare Staff Satisfaction Regarding Furniture Design for Working and Resting Spaces

The quality of healthcare interiors is considered an important factor in the well-being and satisfaction of healthcare staff. Accordingly, this study evaluates the satisfaction of doctors and nurses with the furniture they use in their working and resting areas in healthcare interiors. This paper’s originality lies in examining the perspective of healthcare staff –doctors and nurses– as users and also investigating furniture as a crucial factor in shaping user satisfaction regarding interior spaces. In this research, a qualitative study, including observation and a case study, is supplemented by a quantitative study, including research and a survey. The method of the study includes a literature review, field trips, structured questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews with the healthcare staff of the four selected hospitals in Turkey. The findings from observations, questionnaires, and interviews are evaluated through a literature review conducted in this study, as evidenced at the conclusion of each analysis section. The data regarding user satisfaction of furniture in the hospitals’ interior spaces were analyzed in terms of tangible physical attributes of furniture such as ergonomic qualities, functionality in layout, sensory qualities of materials and color, and intangible psycho-social attributes such as a sense of belonging/personalization and privacy/sense of control. These factors, along with belonging and privacy, enhance the awareness of interior design in creating healthy, safe, and comfortable hospital environments. The paper contributes to a gap in knowledge regarding the physical and psycho-social features of furniture that influence healthcare staff’s physical and mental health and raises awareness about using interior design to create healthy, safe, and comfortable hospital environments. The research suggests that the interiors of well-designed healthcare facilities have a positive and curative effect on staff and patients; therefore, it should be addressed comprehensively.