Creating an environment that promotes both health and comfort for patients and staff is paramount in healthcare. As specialized facilities, hospitals must maintain specific conditions, including temperatures, humidity levels, ventilation, minimal noise, and most importantly, healthy and bright lighting. To achieve this, the selection and installation of lighting fixtures are subject to stringent standards. These fixtures must be functional, long-lasting, energy-efficient, and resistant to water, humidity, high temperatures, and moisture. Additionally, the temperature of the lighting plays a significant role in influencing the mood of patients and staff.
Studies have shown that proper lighting can help lessen fatigue, enhance alertness, adjust circadian rhythms, and even treat various other specific conditions. The presence of windows and access to natural daylight has been associated with greater staff satisfaction with the work environment. Thus, hospitals are designed with numerous windows to facilitate daylight access, complemented by cool white LED lamps at night to mimic the effects of natural light. While warmer colour temperatures can induce melatonin production and drowsiness, suitable for nighttime, they can be counterproductive for the staff who need to remain awake, such as those working overnight shifts. Utilizing natural or relaxed white light in hallways, operating rooms, and nursing stations can help staff, particularly those working at night, stay alert and energized.
Key Considerations Before Purchasing Hospital Lighting
- Optimal Colour Temperature for Hospital Settings: The best colour temperature varies depending on the room’s purpose and activities conducted within. Warmer colours are recommended for patients and waiting rooms.
- Types of Lights for Hospital Use: Hospital lighting varies by location, with outdoor lighting similar to commercial establishments. Indoors, the lighting often resembles what is found in schools and offices, including panel lights, sconces, and stairwell lighting.
- Lighting Fixtures for Hospital Lobbies: LED panel lights or retrofit solutions with LED tubes or magnetic retrofit strips are ideal for creating a welcoming atmosphere in hospital lobbies.
- Patient Room Lighting: LED panels and over-bed linear fixtures are the best choices for patient room lighting, providing comfort and functionality.
- LED vs. Fluorescent Lighting: LED lights are superior for hospital use due to their lack of humming, strobing, flickering, and mercury content, in addition to the benefits of reduced eye strain and headaches.
- Advantages of LED Lighting in Hospitals: LED lighting offers significant energy and maintenance savings without the disadvantages of fluorescent lighting, such as humming and flickering.
- Savings from Lighting Control Systems: Implementing a lighting control system in hospitals can lead to considerable savings, mainly when the system includes dimming features to adjust light levels further.
In conclusion, the strategic implementation of hospital lighting contributes to health, comfort, and efficiency. By understanding and applying lighting design, hospitals can significantly enhance patients’ well-being and staff’s productivity.
