The visual cognition, walking distances, and mobility of stairs and nursing stations in hospital wards

Purpose The purpose of this study is to focus on enhancing the efficiency of hospital wards by exploring the influence of the placement of stairs and nursing stations (NSs) on important factors such as visual cognition, distances and mobility. Design/methodology/approach Through a comparative approach, proposed varying layouts, based on literature and real cases, are assessed using Space Syntax theories and Depthmap X software to simulate spatial interactions of stairs and NSs. The Analytical Hierarchy Process is used to gather expert input for assigning significance weights to the simulation measures, which are then analyzed. A case study of redesigning an actual ward confirms the findings. Findings This study shows that the careful placement of stairs and NSs can significantly improve hospital wards’ efficiency, highlighting a crucial factor that designers should consider to achieve better patient care and effectiveness. Research limitations/implications The design of hospital wards is influenced by varying architectural and medical factors, which are difficult to fully represent in one study. Hence, future work is needed to examine the influence of these factors on ward design in relation to this study’s findings. Practical implications The findings of this study contribute to the improvement of specific aspects of ward designs and can be used to inform future updates of hospital design regulations. Originality/value This study offers novel insights into the spatial relation between the design of stairs and NSs and ward efficiency. Moreover, using the Space Syntax principles as a comprehensive approach to optimizing health-care facilities is regarded as novel.