Trading company for privacy: A study of patients' experiences

Abstract

Ethical considerations: The study was conducted according to the principles of Declaration of Helsinki, and was approved by the Norwegian Social Science Data Services.

Objective: To describe patients' experiences of staying in multiple- and single-bed rooms.

Patients and methods: This qualitative study employed a descriptive and exploratory approach, and systematic text condensation was used to analyze the material. Data were collected in a hospital trust in Norway. A total of 39 in-depth interviews were performed with patients discharged from the medical, surgical, and maternity departments.

Results: Patients had ambiguous views on whether multiple-bed rooms or single-bed rooms were to be preferred. Main results include how patients cherished "the importance of others" but at the same time valued "the importance of privacy." Being hospitalized in multiple-bed rooms was for many patients a very positive experience in terms of social interaction. Patients in single-bed rooms reported being more dependent on nurses to maintain social contact and obtain safety.

Conclusion: This research provides new knowledge on how the need for privacy can be in contradiction with the need for socializing with other patients. When hospitalized, the physical structure of a hospital impacts with whom patients interact and to what extent they depend on the nursing staff to have their social needs met.

Keywords: Loneliness; nursing; privacy; qualitative research; togetherness; ward design.