(10) The Mouse-Man and the Computer Geek

Throughout my strife in my reconstruction project, I have had the opportunity to read medical journals and research organizations that did not know existed. Life is such an extraordinary and brilliant gift, and hospitals should be the face of this belief. Medical centers across the nation can be considered miracles on earth. It is in these great shrines that magic, as we know it, is practiced every day. A hospital should forever be revered as a place of tranquility and hope. As a society, we are naturally intrigued by the negative and remember failures. Hospitals should not be paired with images or thoughts of death and sickness. My ultimate goal is to change this view--not only in the eyes of the community, but in the minds of the patients within.

A clear blueprint has been laid which portrays the goals of my reconstruction project, as well as the resources I will use to get there. I have supported my arguments with clinical studies, and have proven the health benefits of colors, sounds, space, and community relationships within the hospital. I have identified my change agent, Miss Linda Dierks, and have included several other organizations who will assist me--Turner Construction, the Institute of Hospital Improvement, the American Hospital Association, and the Transforming Care at the Bedside initiative.

I hold this blog in higher esteem than just a school project. I pray that it will fall into the eyes of a powerful and intrigued subject; someone who shares my passion and has the will to take on such a tremendous feat. During my research, I came across an article by the European Health Management Association which displays case studies and visions just like mine. If you would like to hear the opinions of several other researchers and medical teams, please click here.

As a twenty year-old college student with academic pressures, financial stress, sports obligations, and life's many obstacles, it is difficult to fathom myself making a distinguishable difference within the world. However, every dream begins as a seed inside the mind of one individual. While some die in the process of achieving, many others withstand the odds.

Walt Disney once imagined a cartoon show with a rodent as the main character. Eighty-one years later, Disney's Mickey Mouse has his own cement star on the Hollywood walk of fame.

Once upon a time, an 8th grader reprogrammed the general electric system in the Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code (BASIC) that allowed users to play games against the computer. Today, this same person is one of the richest and most successful human beings in the world; his name--Bill Gates.

If a mouse-enthused man and a thirteen year-old boy can change the way the world operates, so can I.

A Whole lot of Zeros

It is time to discuss budgets, compare figures, create a timeline, and put this project into action!

First, a recap of my main source:

The Saint Mary's Foundation, led by Dierks, is expected to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. The total revenue raised each year is not stated; however, with only seven employees, the foundation has been successful in collecting revenue through a variety of mediums. Contributors are individuals, businesses, public and private foundations, and government sources. One hundred percent of the income goes to state-of-the-art medical services, which maintains Saint Mary's reputation as the number one medical provider in Northern Nevada. The foundation's sponsored events are the Hospice Golf Tournament (June), the Guild Clay Shoot (September), and the "celebrities take a bough" Holiday Gala (November).

As I stated in a previous post, contributors come in guest attendance, grants, cash donations, stock and property, planned and estate giving, and endowments. Donors are recognized in one of the following groups:

Society of Philanthropy

Dominican Council: $100,000+

Founders: $50,000+

Leadership: $20,000+

Community of Caring

Patron: $10,000+

Fellow: $5,000+

Partner: $1,000+

Friend: $500+

Supporter: $250+

The west campus expansion of Saint Mary's, which was completed in June 2005, has not yet released its total construction cost; however, similar construction projects will help me budget a complete reconstruction of the existing health center of Saint Mary's.

Stanford's 600-roomed hospital, aimed for completion in 2015, has an estimated cost of $2.5 billion. As it stands now, Saint Mary's Hospital only has 380 rooms; therefore cost should be slightly over half of Stanford's project if I were to build from scratch. I will not be taking down the whole building, but only knocking out walls on the inside.

The construction of El Camino Hospital will be $480 million. This does not include a new cyberknife ($11 million) that will enable doctors to remove tumors noninvasively

The Regional Medical Center of San Jose is building a $47 million patient wing; and the Good Samaritan Hospital is undergoing a clinical lab remodel worth $3 million. Additional technological buys include a $6 million IT system, and a $22 million seismic upgrade purchased by the Community Hospital of Los Gatos; hyperbaric oxygen chambers for wound care ($500,000), and electron electronic medical records (1.5 million) purchased by the O'Connor Hospital.

I want to broaden the hospital rooms of Saint Mary's--either by eliminating some of the existing rooms to create more space, or reconstructing the inside and adding an additional wing to the building. This will be determined by available space and budget. For now, I will sacrifice some of the existing rooms by knocking out walls and creating fewer, yet bigger, hospital rooms. Additionally, the inside of the hospital will be completely modernized. From medical equipment and decorations, to fees for live performers; the cost continues to compound. Judging by the previously done construction projects, I estimate this project to be around $40 million.

Costs will elevate from year to year; therefore, I will make my estimation as accurate as possible. In order to complete this project in five years, it would require an annual fundraising of $8 million. It sounds like a lot of zeros; however, with all of the teams working together, it is a feat that can be accomplished.

A Movement at Stanford.

Have you ever looked into the night sky and wondered what else is out there? With an infinite outer space, I do not believe we are the only living creatures in the universe. There has to be many other forms of life that exist beyond our diameter of exploration.

With this philosophy in mind, I thought about my reconstruction plan and wondered if there isn't a group out there that is taking similar strides. I know I am not the only person who feels depressed and pessimistic upon entering a hospital. Therefore, I did some research and found that the Stanford Medical Center is building almost an exact replica of what I imagine.

Between the years of 2015-16, Stanford's new hospital will contain a one million square foot interventional services center and an enlarged emergency department with 600 beds. Additionally, each room, including intensive care, will have an extra bed for a family member to sleep in over night. The patient will be able to regulate sunlight with individual shade controls, as well as watch movies, view x-rays, and order meals on flat-screened TVs.

Adults are living longer than ever before, but with more complex needs. Rita Ghatak, PhD, Director of Aging Adult Services at Stanford Medical Center, believes that their hospital needs to transform in order to accommodate an aging population. After sitting with many focus groups, she has concluded that the hospital environment need improvement in the following: lighting, sound, distances, doorways, waiting areas, room layouts and signage.

Betsy Brawley, president of Design Concepts Unlimited, and a specialist in designing interior environments for aging adults, also commented on how to improve hospital environments. She says that lighting design and paint colors could improve the safety and well-being of senior citizens. Her other suggestions included showers with a threshold, electronic dimmers, bathrooms with sliding doors, lighting over the toilet and garbage can, and fold-down grab bars.

George Tingwald, Director of Medical Planning for the hospital renewal project, compared Stanford's current medical clinic to a geriatric patient. It is very old and its resources and design are inefficient. Tingwald verifies his argument by saying, "we now have evidence that the environment has huge impact on patient outcomes."

It is a wonderful feeling when the passion I have felt for so long is shared with professionals. This verifies that my plan is accurate and encourages me to move forward.

(9) Proof, proof, and more proof

There are countless studies which stand as proof that a positive attitude is conducive of good health. Rhonda Byrne's, The Secret, is all about the laws of attraction and positive thinking. She believes that we can make anything happen if we think actively and positively about it. Bryne talks about the importance of emphasizing the good rather than the negative. For example, if a person's goal is to lose weight, he or she should repeat the phrase, "I want to be healthy and fit," rather than, "I don't want to be fat."

An additional study shows that positive attitudes help fight the common cold. Psychosomatic Medicine published a story in July 2003. Researchers examined 300 people three times a week for two weeks. Each patient was tested on three categories of positivity--vigor, well-being, and calmness. They were also tested on three areas of negativity--depression, anxiety, and hostility. After each assessment, the patient was injected with the cold-causing germ, rhinovirus, and monitored for five days. Results showed that people with positive attitudes had less symptoms of the cold, and negative people had more symptoms.

In 2004, researchers at the University of Texas found that positive attitudes delay the aging process. This study was published by the Psychology and Aging journal in which 1,558 people were tested. During the seven year study, researchers examined positive and negative attitudes in relation to frailty. They measured frailty by weight loss, exhaustion, walk speed, and grip strength. Although results found that optimistic patients showed less symptoms of frailty, science demanded more proof. Therefore, scientists concluded that positivity may alter chemicals in the brain. Additionally, an upbeat attitude makes the individual believe that they will be more successful in life.

Not all people are born with the optimism gene. I am passionate to help and influence these patients in experiencing the joys in life. It is amazing how the quality of a person's life can improve by approaching each day from a slightly different angle. Hopefully my hospital reconstruction project will get us there.

Linda Dierks, Larry O'Brien, Turner, AHA, and TCAB.....Let's do it!

(8) Transforming Care at the Bedside

When my mother gave birth to my youngest sister, the process felt more like a business transaction than a joyous gift of life. Our doctor was extremely dry and impersonal; not to mention we were rushed in and out as quickly as medically allowed. Of course, the excitement of my new baby sister outweighed negative thoughts I had for the hospital staff. Nevertheless, I will never forget my experience.

In July of 2003 The Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) launched an initiative called Transforming Care at the Bedside (TCAB). The goal of this program is to "enhance the quality of patient care and service, create more effective care teams, improve patient and staff satisfaction, and improve staff retention.

The TCAB imagines each hospital room with a whiteboard and collage of the medical staff's pictures. On the bedside table is a notebook with common questions that the patient is encouraged to ask his or her doctors and nurses. At the end of each service, the patient will be given a write-up of everything that was done that day, including medications given, blood pressure, clinical results, surgical news, etc. The organizations emphasizes the importance of learning all of the patients' names and improving doctor/patient time by 70%. Whiteboards will display encouraging personal notes and goals for the patient to accomplish each day.

In the fall of 2003, three hospitals were selected as prototypes of this program: Seton Northwest Hospital (Austin, TX); UPMC Shadyside (Pittsburgh, PA); and Kaiser Foundation Hospital (Roseville, CA). In July of 2004, the organization had come up with over 200 ideas for the program, ranging from getting better equipment to giving patients more input in their treatment.

When the TCAB was officially started in 2005, it aimed to:

• Make care safe and effective
• Promote care team effectiveness and vitality
• Support and involve patients and families
• Increase value of care and care processes

Additional advancements of this project include:

• Night shift nursing rounds: Nurses check up on patients before the night begins and make sure they are properly set for the next 12 hours.
• Streamlined paperwork: GYN surgeons will use one universal post-operation evaluation sheet that includes medication instructions, lab work, and activity level.
• Skin Integrity cards: Nurses will keep small cards with a sketch of the human body that corresponds with their patient. They will circle areas of irritation in order to constantly monitor patients' skin.
• Patient self-medication: Option for patients to take medications on their own. Some thought it was empowering, and others were afraid.
• Revamped food services: Improving quality, variety, and flavor of food.
• Workplace Safety Enhancement: Making sure the staff is safe and free from harmful machinery or hazards.

The TCAB has not made its way to all hospitals in the United States. In 2004, only 13 major hospitals had integrated the program. In addition to my revamping efforts, I want to initiate the TCAB in every hospital I meet. Doctor/Patient relationships are vital to the positive atmosphere that I aim to create.

For more about the TCAB, click here.

(7) Let us Laugh

Although I have put much emphasis on changing the visual and aural aesthetics of Saint Mary's Hospital--colors, openness, music, decorations, and artwork--a positive atmosphere does not end here. There are psychological and physiological needs that seek further help than a Monet painting. One of the most effective and inexpensive ways of achieving good health is through laughter. Many research have said that laughter releases endorphins and rids the body of harmful toxins. Now, there is scientific proof to back up this claim.

In 1979 Dr. Norman Cousins published a book entitled, Anatomy of an Illness. More than a decade prior to his publication, he suffered from a painful disease known as ankylosin spondylitis, or "bent spine." It is a form of inflammatory arthritis that specifically effects the joins in the spine and hips. Eventually, the spine becomes crooked and the rigid vertebrae fuse together.

During his illness, Cousins received enjoyment from watching hilarious Marx Brother movies. After a while, he noticed the pain beginning to subside, until one day it was gone completely. Cousins attributed his miraculous recovery to laughter. He then spent ten years researching at the UCLA medical school where he established the Humor Task Force. Cousins did work in the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), which studies both the psyche and nervous system as they affect the immune system. Cousin's work evolved, and in 2005 the University of Maryland Medical center proved that positive emotion has a positive effect on cardiovascular health.

Atherosclerosis, hardening of the blood vessels, is caused by constricted inner lining of the vessels--otherwise known as the endothelium. When a person laughs, blood vessels dilate, creating larger passageways and more blood flow.

The University of Maryland's clinical study involved healthy, non-smokers who were subject to 30 minutes of two emotionally charged films. The first, Saving Private Ryan, caused mental stress; while the second film, King Pin, was lighthearted and humorous. After testing the patients, they found that their blood vessels decreased in diameter by 35% from the stressful film. Conversely, blood vessels increased 22% after watching the comedy. The results confirmed Cousins' earlier study that laughing helps the body.

Dr. Michael Miller was in charge of the Maryland study. He relates laughing to exercising, in that they both contribute to elevated blood flow. Miller advises that 30 minutes of exercise three times a week, and 15 minutes of laughter will maintain a healthy body.

Now, the question is: How do we make our hospital patients laugh? There are many ways, really; however, an effective tool would be to bring in comedians once a week for hour-long shows. This may sound far fetched, but such a performance will produce more than just laughter. It will create a sense of friendship, belonging, community, and love--all of which are components of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

In a previous post, I spoke of guest performers and shows brought to the hospital to entertain patients. After construction is finished, Saint Mary's will have its own theater in which it can host the entertainers. This, again, is where Linda Dierk's enthusiastic fund raising comes into play!

In conclusion, when you're having a bad day, tune into Dane Cook, Brian Regan, or read the comics section in the newspaper. You'll be surprised at how much better you will feel!

Back to the Source

The St. Mary's foundation is an organization which functions within the hospital. This branch is responsible for collecting charitable donations, recognizing donors, and distributing money in the correct places. Linda Dierks is the vice president of the foundation and has done well with encouraging philanthropic efforts. Every cent of the money collected goes to programs and services within the hospital. I chose Dierks as my change agent because she will help fund raise the multi-million dollar reconstruction project.

Dierks generates funding for Saint Mary's through events, cash donations, stock, real estate and bequests. Once I have communicated with Saint Mary's corporate officials, and determined construction details with Turner, I will host a banquet for my cause. Dierks will contact current and previous donors who would like to attend. Additionally she will help me advertise for the event and recruit people to attend. The banquet will only be the kick-off to a long list of fund raising efforts.

Larry O'Brien is the CEO and chief administrator of the West Campus Expansion. This project took place in 2005 as a complimentary structure to Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center in Reno. The beautiful new addition includes a 215,000-sq.-ft., 6-story Saint Mary's Center for Health; a 1,090 car, 8-level parking structure; and a plaza that also provides parking below.

With O'Brien's will and commitment in his latest project, I have no doubts that he will take on my project with the same drive; therefore, I have decided to contact O'Brien as a secondary change agent.

I have gathered my team, submitted the roster, and all that lingers ahead is the coin toss. It's time to play ball.

Worth a thousand words

As I researched the St. Mary's website, I found plenty of information on its many health departments. From Cardiovascular Care and Diabetes Wellness, to Orthopedics and Surgical Services, St. Mary's answers all of the frequently asked questions with an exception of one--"What does the hospital look like?"

I was astonished when an hour's worth of searching produced three mediocre pictures of the inside of the building. I was disappointed that I could not provide proof to my readers of the dull living arrangements within the hospital; however, I soon realized that the lack of visual images may bear more weight in my argument.

With a single snapshot of St Mary's cement and steel-clad towers, the patient is left with a wondering imagination as to what the inside reveals. The website does not offer any virtual tours or photo galleries of the 380 bedrooms it boasts. The few pictures it does contain are closeups of patients, hiding the whitewashed walls surrounding them. Additionally, one can not get an accurate size of the rooms or the proximity of large machinery. I have been inside this medical tower to experience first-hand the bland, claustrophobic spaces.

If I were an expecting mother, I would not only request a picture of my birthing room, but the blueprint of my entire floor! The gift of life should not be squeezed between vinyl curtains and tight lunch hours. Additionally, if I were recovering from a surgery or fighting a disease, I would not want to wake up to walls like these:

Coffee is great, but I wouldn't choose the "love of latte" paint swatch to adorn my walls. Since when does the color beige evoke deep psychological thought? Answer: It does not.

Can you spot a commonality in the picture on the right with the previous one above? I see one--white walls and bulky machinery. Both doctors look happy and inviting, yet pictures may be deceiving. Once the medical practitioners exit the room, the patients are left with cords, monitors, and power switches. Even if paint, plants, and pictures were impossibilities, cover the walls with a soft, linen drape that decorates and conceals the ugly metal.

The question is yours--What bed would you rather wake up in?

The American Hospital Association

The American Hospital Association (AHA) was created in 1898 to represent hospitals, health care centers, and patients across the United States. It is a national organization that addresses health policy development, legislative and regulatory debates, and judicial matters.

When I came across this organization, I was enthralled by the similarity between their vision and mine. Although I am approaching a national medical society from a creative side, both of our goals are to improve the health and atmospheres of hospitals. The AHA's mission statement reads:

"Our mission is to advance the health of individuals and communities. The AHA leads, represents and serves hospitals, health systems and other related organizations that are accountable to the community and committed to health improvement."

I would also like to "advance the health of individuals and communities" by revamping the inside aesthetics and workings of these infrastructures. If I could create a partnership with the AHA while communicating with each hospital's executive officials, my message and work would surely be acted upon.

In 1937, the AHA created the Blue Cross; and in 1951 they established the Commission on Financing of Hospital Services which resulted in the Medicare legislation in 1965. The most significant accomplishments of the AHA have been the establishment of the House of Delegates in 1938, the regional advisory boards in 1968, the constituency sections in 1983, and the restructuring of the process in 1987.

The AHA has state, regional, and metropolitan hospital associations with an interactive map that, when clicked on, gives contact information of each executive.

View Map

Rich Umbdenstock is the president and CEO of the entire AHA; however Bill Welch is the lead executive of the Nevada Hospital Association. Since my efforts will begin in my home state, I will contact Mr. Welch first.

With headquarters in Chicago and Washington D.C., this organization has made great strides throughout history. Their assistance will surely turn my vision into a reality.

To learn more about the AHA, click here.

The Ultimate Road Trip

As I mentioned in my opening statement of this blog, my vision is to reconstruct St. Mary's Hospital in Reno, Nevada. It is here where two of my sisters were born, and continues to stand as the leading health care organization in my home town. I take pride in the city of Reno and will first make improvements to the area that means the most to me; however, my efforts do not stop here. In addition to local reconstruction, I would like to take this feat further and conquer hospitals across the Untied States. Because of my gigantic and difficult task, I had to chose a small area to start in which I would build upon.

I have chosen to to master this task by targeting hospitals one region at a time. When St. Mary's is finished, I will move on to the Washoe County Hospital which is also in Reno. From here, I will move to Las Vegas and restructure hospitals such as, Centennial Hills and Montevista. My current change agent is St. Mary's Vice President, Linda Dierks. Although she will be extremely helpful in my first reconstruction, she will not be able to assist me outside of her own hospital. Therefore, I will contact the Chiefs of Staff and Vice Presidents of my future hospital projects in order to achieve my vision.

After the state of Nevada is complete, I will move directly westward to northern California. I will transform hospitals in Sacramento, San Francisco, and move down the state to Los Angeles and San Diego.

State by state, the new wave of hospitals will expand, creating inviting, happy, and positive atmospheres for patients across the United States. I will move into the North West, from Oregon, Washington, and Idaho; and make my way down to Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.

As the West materializes and grows, I will communicate with Tuner Construction in building management centers in every region. These centers will work with the hospitals' main executives to oversee development and maintain modern-looking hospital settings. There will also be research groups analyzing the effects of aesthetics on the mind. They will constantly find new ways in which to improve the lives of hospital patients and see how their attitudes progress. The management centers will keep hospitals connected, implementing a sense of creative uniformity. Lastly, the centers will make the process go faster, as we will be travelling the US and working on hospitals from many different fronts.

After St. Mary's hospital in Reno is finished, I will ask Linda Dierks, as well as a few other executives, to travel to conferences with me. Here they will give personal testimonials about how my strides have brought great success to their community and patients.

It's going to be a long road, but I'm ready to take it.

Meet the Neighbors

One of the most frightening feelings that a patient endures when he or she is checked into the hospital is the fear of loneliness. Patients with cancer, or those scheduled for surgery, may become anxious and depressed because they have just embarked upon battle by themselves. No matter how many friends and family come to visit, the internal feelings of a patient will never fully be understood. Sympathy does not bear as much weight as someone who can empathize with the same stress and fear. Therefore, I believe patients should be able to talk and share stories with other patients in the hospital. If the goal is to build a sense of community, optimism, and happiness, patients need to interact with others in similar positions.

The act of speaking about a problem is a wonderful healing method in itself; especially if the receiver is going through similar struggles. Nurses and doctors should create open-hour meet and greet sessions in which patients are introduced to the neighbors surrounding them.

I spoke previously of brilliantly decorated lounges with comfortable couches in which patients are able to escape to. If two cancer patients are able to connect, relax, and share stories in one of these living room lounges, then my vision will be a success.

An environment is not shaped solely by visual images. It is defined by the emotions exchanged through the souls of others. I have researched many aspects of this hospital project, and my belief could not be stronger that what I am fighting for is worth every effort.

The Voice of a Child

When I was in elementary school, I was a member of my school choir. I had a passion for singing and performing in front of people--thriving off of solos and spotlight performances. When I was in 6th grade, I was elected as president of the choir. I led the other "Roy Gomm Family Singers" in songs that required sign language or split harmonies. One of my jobs was to supervise and aid to the younger students when we went on field trips.

Every year, the Gomm Family Singers perform in local hotel/casinos, malls, and rest homes for the elderly. My favorite places to go were the elderly communities because the people there were so appreciative and thrilled to hear us sing. These field trips in particular, were extremely rewarding for both the tenants and the choir.

I would lead our 85 choir members into the lobby of the rest homes where we would line up in several curved rows. After we assumed our positions, my teacher tested the sound, set up microphones, adjusted the volume, and organized her music sheets. As the choir stood quietly waiting to begin, old men and women were brought to the room, mostly in wheel chairs. The looks on their tired faces were infused with life and happiness as they say the wave of children standing before them.

We sang our traditional choir songs, as well as a few oldies such as, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. In between songs and at the end of our performances, we would walk through the audience and say hello to the men and women. Feelings of pure enjoyment and love were prevalent in their eyes. Although some were unable to speak, they showed their gratitude with nonverbal facial gestures.

There is a special wonderment that one receives from the presence and voices of young children. As I look back, I am honored to have spread that feeling to a small community. In my hospital project, I want to bring the same overwhelming joy to patients. In addition to the hospital's makeover, I would like to bring in young guests to perform and interact with the patients. Of course, not all hospital patients are old and weathered; however, live performances bring happiness to people of all ages.

The performance groups will consist of elementary to high school choirs, and even some college acapella teams. Additionally, I would like to invite inspirational speakers, magicians, and other performers with special talents. There will be a performing arts theater inside the hospital where patients will get to see the shows. Special conditions will be met for more critical or immobile patients; therefore, almost everyone will get the opportunity to relieve themselves from their stresses.

(6) Optimism: The Best Prescription Medicine

The goal of this blog is to restore optimism in patients by changing the visual atmosphere and the business-like management of the hospital. In order to reinforce my belief that optimism helps fight disease, I found a study that embodies my argument.

The Credit Valley hospital in Ontario, Canada conducted an experiment on the correlation between optimism and less distressed patients. Their results were recently published in the journal of Health Psychology. Through research, the hospital has proved that "what people think and believe can affect how they feel, and can also determine who well they do." They study emphasized the fact that people have the power to change their own attitudes if they want to.

Research psychologists at Credit Valley monitored a variety of patients, all with life altering diseases. First they tracked patients who previously had heart attacks or were diagnosed with unstable angina. They found that after a year after these accidents, optimistic patients were less depressed than those who were pessimistic.

A second study involved patients who had underwent heart bypass surgery. Again, optimists recovered from surgery faster and with less complications than pessimists.

The same results were found when patients with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic back pain, and multiple sclerosis were monitored. If these patients maintained positive attitudes and believed that they were being proactive about their care, then they did better. However, the people who felt helpless and worried about their symptoms only progressed further into their unhealthy states.

This article bears much weight in my blog. If art and atmosphere makes us happy, happiness leads to optimism, and optimism results in healthier patients. The proof is undeniable.

Reference: http://www.cvh.on.ca/admin/wellness_Beliefs_and_Attitudes_Can_Affect_Your_Well_Being_and_Health.php

(5) From the Birthing Chair

I am the oldest of four girls. Alley is 18, Shelby is 14, and Gianna is 5. When my first two sisters were born I was only 2 1/2 and 6 years of age; therefore, memories of their births, if any, are few. Due to a blood type difference between my mother and her girls, Shelby and Gianna were both high-risk pregnancies. As a 6 year old, I remember sitting on a rolling hospital bed with my mother as the doctors squeezed blue Ultra Sound goo all over her tummy. Additionally, she underwent many tests which required a lot of long needles. Nevertheless, besides the goo and the shots, I do not remember very much of Shelby being born.

When my mom was pregnant with Gianna, it was the first time I got to experience and remember each phase of the pregnancy from beginning to end. I was 14 years old, turning 15, and was a freshman in high school. I can accurately depict the exact moment and place we were in when my mom first told me that she was going to have a baby. Ever since that wondrous moment, I accompanied my mother to the hospital for checkups and tests.

Throughout the 40-week period, I became very familiar with the inside of a hospital. Even though every visit was an exciting benchmark that distinguished her due date to be closer and closer, I did not look forward to these appointments. Our visits did not have a negative connotation by any means. We were not seeing a dieing patient or even someone to was severely sick. Contrarily, they symbolized new life to come, a feeling that should have evoked happiness. Nevertheless, I was overwhelmed with negative feelings due to the sad atmosphere of the hospital. The combination of smells, sounds, and visual images made me despise each checkup.

On January 2, 2004, Gianna was born. I can illustrate exactly every object in the birthing room, as well as the room's dimensions. My feelings of excitement and overwhelming joy were momentarily blanketed by a swarm of claustrophobia and disgust. I felt as though my mom was about to give birth in a closet or hallway. The room was extremely narrow and long. There was barely any standing room, especially with my the doctor, nurse, my dad, two sisters, and I. I remember finding a seat at the far back of the room by a small window. I was uneasy, nervous, and experienced much anxiety. Of course, my feelings changed when I saw my baby sister for the first time; however, the moments leading up to her birth were all but pleasant.

I had never experienced a birth before, nor do I care to experience one again. My mom was exhausted; however, after a night's rest in a stuffy room, they pushed her out and said, "So long!" The entire process of the birth was beneath my expectations. I pictured a much larger room with couches, blankets, and rocking chairs. Furthermore, the way in which the doctor worked was extremely impersonal and strictly to business. As soon as my mother was rushed in, she was rushed out. There was not any special treatment or "after-birthing room" in which she could rest and recuperate.

My goal in this project is to enlarge the hospital rooms, even if it means less total rooms in the building. Cosmetic changes are only my first stride in this project. I want to improve the bed-side manner of doctors and nurses. Hospitals should not look or be run like a business. They should not be treated like hatcheries or quarantines. Contrarily, they should look and feel like small, personable communities. Not to make the generalization that all doctors are not personable; however, there needs to be less importance placed on the paycheck and turn-around time, and more emphasis on patient comfort. If we can achieve this, we will see vast improvement in attitudes and satisfaction.

A Gallery of Art

How often have we been captivated by a particular piece of artwork as we walk down the hallway of a hospital? Better yet, can you recount any trace of creative decoration that conjured an emotional response? If so, can you recall what the piece of artwork looked like? The answers to these questions are most likely, "no"..."no"... and "no." If we decorate our homes with brilliantly colored canvases, sculptures, water fountains, furniture, and memorabilia, I am curious as to why this same decorative approach is not taken in hospitals.

Decorations provoke pleasant feelings within us. We are inspired by creativity, and feel comforted by an open room with large couches, pictures, mirrors, and plant life. The decorations we put inside of our home, office, workspace, or other personal areas are a reflection of our character. Therefore, I want to put artwork back into the hospitals. If patents have a specific piece that they would like to be displayed, I would like to create galleries that incorporate everyone's characters.

In addition to framed illustrations, paintings, and photos, I want to ad sculptures, plants, running water fountains, and lounge areas. Within each individual hospital room, I want artwork to grace the walls. To take the interior design a step further, I would like each section of the hospital to have a theme. Therefore, the decorations will follow suit. The contrasting sections of the hospital will not only make it more visually pleasing, but it will fun for whoever enters the area. Just like the Las Vegas strip with uniquely themed casinos, the hospital will be transformed.

(4) Here's to you, Noni

I am writing this blog, in part, as a remembrance of my grandmother, Elisea Pauletto. My dear grandmother, "Noni," passed away in spring of 2007 at the age of 79. Her life was plagued with a series of ailments which brought her in and out of the hospital. She received a quadruple bypass heart surgery among several other surgeries and medical interventions. I do not remember a time in my 18 years of knowing Noni that she did not have some kind of health condition. After the removal of several lymph nodes, she lived with an extremely weak immune system which made her even more susceptible to infections.

Hospital visits became a casual topic of conversation whenever my family visited my grandparents' house. My grandpa, "Papa," made trips to Kaiser Permanente part of his weekly routine. My grandma endured more blood tests, needles, and IVs than any other person I have known. Naturally, she always struggled with maintaining positivity. In fact, her hypochondria and pessimism, I believe, were the stem of many of her health issues. Not to say that my grandmother's ailments were not severe; however, the negativity only reinforced her poor health.

I loved my grandmother very much, and she cared for my sisters and I more than any other people in the world. She was always thrilled to hear our voices on the phone and wanted to know all about our recent activities. She made sure my sisters and I were overly fed--a quality defined by the Italian culture. She spoke of her love for Italy and how badly she wanted me to go back with her one day. She was the person who taught me how to knit and to enjoy the importance of a luscious garden.

I cherished the times in which my grandmother was happy and carefree. It pained me to see how the hospital setting drained her of this euphoria. The cramped rooms and dull atmosphere of the hospital were everything but inviting. When my family and I visited her in the hospital, I tried to be overly happy to compensate for the depressing feeling that lurked through curtained rooms. Nevertheless, her blissful spirit was untraceable at this point.

My grandmother passed away in a disconsolate uneasiness. I believe her time was not exhausted, and she had much more to contribute to my life and the lives of my family members. However, her story ended bleakly.

To this day, I hold the pleasant times with Noni close to me, and try to force the bad times from my memory. I resent the downcast atmosphere of the hospital that she became all-too-familiar with. I believe that my grandmother holds a special place in heaven where she is pain-free and content. For this I am thankful. Nevertheless, I want to improve the hospital settings for current and future patients like my grandmother. I have faith that a few adjustments will go a long way in the lives of many.

(3) A Simple Splash of Paint

Feeling unmotivated, anxious, stressed, or depressed? Add a little color to your life! Studies have shown that every color has a mental and psyical effect on the body and mind. Hospital walls are most oftenly colored in shades of white and gray. Although the color, white, stands for purety and mental clarity, it is not a motivating color by any means.

Kate Smith is a psychological color expert who helps coordinate swatches that are best fit for specific settings and individuals. She helps people pick appropriate colors for offices, homes, and other establishments. Smith has reasearched the effects of colors on the human body and has come up with the following results.

Reds and Oranges are stimulant colors. They promote activity and appetite, encourage confidence, and increase enthusiasm. While red is the more popular choice over orange, both of the hues exude with energy and draw attention.

Yellow symbolizes optimism and happiness. When we think of yellow, it is common to visualize bright, sunny days. Imagine how a warm, summer afternoon makes you feel. Most likely, one is lighthearted and joyous. The iconic smiley face is painted yellow for a reason--the color embodies the large smile and happiness that it stands for. On a biological level, yellow stimulates the nervous system, activates memory, and encourages communication.

Blue is the favorite of all the colors. As the color of sky and water, it has a calming, peaceful, and cooling feeling. Blues are defined by trustworthiness and dependability, just as the ocean tides go in and out.

Green is the second most popular color and is seen as soothing, relaxing, and natural. Since the color, green, graces the majority of the natural earth, it is seen as refreshing and tranquil. It helps alleviate anxiety, nervousness, and depression.

Purple is the combination of red and blue; therefore, it embodies both of their attributes. It is uplifting and stimulating, yet calm. Nevertheless, it promotes the mind to think creatively.

Brown portrays the feeling of stability and wholesomeness, as it is connected with the
stalwart and reliable image of the earth. Similar to the color green, it is natural and organic.

Now that you have been debriefed on the meanings and effects of color, take Dr. Max Lûscher's color quiz! Lûscher is a psychologist who, in the 1950's, studied color and its effect on behavior. The test has been used by professionals and career hiring staffs ever since.

Color Quiz: http://www.colorquiz.com/

In conclusion to this blog post, there is plenty of reasoning why hospitals should be painted in color. The bland walls should be stripped and replaced by mentally stimulating hues. Color experts and psychologists have confirmed these facts, and I believe that painted walls will show positive changes in patients' attitudes.

Reference:

http://www.squidoo.com/colorexpert

(2) Turn up the Music

Music has been proven to open passageways in the bran, relieve stress, promote intellectual thinking and problem solving, and improve overall health; however not all types of music can generate these results. Heavy metal, for example, may have opposite effects. For some, this type of clashing, screaming, and loud cacophony is positively stimulating; but for most, including myself, it causes nothing but anxiety and annoyance. Classical music, on the contrary, is defined by soothing, inspirational, and pleasant sounds, and has been successful in many medical studies.
The Mozart effect is a confirmed study that listening to classical music improves performance of certain types of mental tasks. Alfred A. Tomatis, an internationally known otolaryngologist, first invented the term, as he tested Mozart's music to cure a variety of disorders.

Now I'd like to take a step back and observe the negative effects of stress on the body...

When we are stress, our bodies become strained by either fatigue, irritability, lack of concentration, reduced functionality, and insomnia. Stress can also make us more susceptible to disease. The following is a list of negative effects caused by stress:

Headaches, constipation, diarrhea, lack of energy, increased frequency in asthma and arthritis flare-ups, tension, stomach cramping, stomach bloating, epidermal flare ups ore inflammation, weight fluctuation, heart problems, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes and neck pain.

How do music studies and facts about stress have any correlation with my topic? The conclusion is simple: Relieve anxiety, pressures, and stresses of hospitalized patients by turning up the music! A little overhead noise will turn a cold and scary environment into a joyous place of healing. The positive effects on healing will improve dramatically.

Let the walls come down!

In order to create a more inviting, open, and peaceful atmosphere, my vision is to gut the current layout of Saint Mary's Hospital and begin fresh. I want to make the inside of the building look as far from a hospital as possible while still maintaining health and safety standards. I will break down walls, rebuild with modern architecture, and add color, music, and artwork.

Why is Starbucks coffee house so successful in providing its customers with a feeling of comfort, coziness, and warmth? The answer: Starbucks has mastered a home living-room setting with comfy couches, light music, and artful decorations. From the moment the glass door swings open, Starbucks' customers are met with an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere that influences them to return again and again. I would like to re-create this feeling within Saint Mary's.

As I delve further into the remodeling process, I will research the effects of specific colors and sounds on an individual's psyche. Different stimuli produce different feelings. Once I hone in on appropriate combinations of sounds and images, I will know what to put inside the hospital.

Before decorating can take place, walls must come down. I have chosen to partner with Turner construction company to help with the rebuilding process. Turner is a publicly traded company which performs large construction projects across the United States. They provide the following services for their clients and investors:

Preconstruction Consulting
Program Management
Project Management
Construction Management
Design-Build
Design-Build/Finance
General Construction
Building Maintenance
Multiple Building Program

Turner offers it’s investors a reliable, successful, and well known reputation. Recent accomplishments include the new Yankee Stadium, Northern Inyo Hospital in Bishop, Calif., and a $90 million High School in Los Angeles.

Additionally, Turner has a growing portfolio of “green buildings.” This branch of the company works on designs and production methods that meet eco-friendly standards.

Turner's experience and national notoriety gives me confidence that they will make my vision a reality. Stay tuned for more about Turner and hospital reconstruction!

(1) Address to the Vice President

Dear Linda Dierks,

As Saint Mary's Vice President and energetic leader, I understand that you direct philanthropic efforts for the foundation. I am writing to you with the intent to reorganize, redecorate, and and reconstruct the hospital's cosmetic appearance in addition to the way it is run. I believe strongly in the the power of an aesthetically and psychologically pleasing atmosphere and how it affects a person's attitude. I want to add color, music, comfortable lounges, plants, and awe-striking artwork to the hospital. My vision is to transform the inner face of the boring, whitewashed, rigid rooms, to an atmosphere that is inviting and full of light. Hospitals are symbolic of sickness--a negative term that makes us feel depressed and uneasy. Coming from personal experiences, a trip down a dreary hospital hall is far from enjoyable. Many hospitalized patients already feel emotions of anxiety and overall negativity. I feel as though the current atmosphere only contributes to these feelings. If there was soft music playing, colorful surroundings, and larger rooms, I believe it would have a positive effect on patients' attitudes.

It has been proven that a person's attitude plays a large role in the healing process. Cancer patients, for example, are faced with the choice to fight with optimism or give up with defeatist attitudes. I believe that miracles are made by an individual's perception and outlook of a situation. Let us contribute to positivity by making changes from within Saint Mary's. In addition to color, furniture, and sounds, I would like to create bigger hospital rooms to rid the building of claustrophobia.

After cosmetic enhancements have been accomplished, I would like to initiate in-hospital events, games, guest appearances, and themed spirit weeks in order to gain a sense of community and life. Hospitals can not be run like businesses. We need to reestablish nurse/patient and doctor/patient relationships. Personalized care makes the patient feel safe, comforted, and content. For some people, a hospital visit may be for a few hours or a quick overnight stay; for others, it may entail weeks or months in enclosed walls. It is extremely important to make these patients feel at home, no matter how long their stay.

During rainy days, one is likely to feel unhappy and sluggish; while during warm, sunny days, one feels happy, energetic, and peaceful. Let us make every day inside Saint Mary's like a day at the beach. I hope you will join me in this effort and see the percentage of healing and medical successes increase.