Environment plays a significant role in the formation of our identity and, in a healthcare setting, it can have a significant impact on nurses and patients alike. This unit’s writing assignment calls for you to reflect on the way in which setting or environment can affect patient care.

There are a variety of possible subjects that might be considered for this assignment. We often compare and contrast hospital care and home care, as each presents its own distinct advantages and disadvantages. Hospital facilities are forever seeking to identify those aspects of the hospital environment that represent safety concerns and to improve upon these space-based hazards. Children’s hospitals represent an obvious attempt to create a healthcare setting that is both comforting and optimistic. Even the color of a hospital room’s walls or curtains, for instance, can be linked to the patient’s state of mind.

For this assignment, consider one distinct example of the connection between environment and patient care. You might choose to write about an example relating to home care, hospital safety, urgent care centers, ergonomics, or access. Explore this concept in a three-page essay. As the essay will be objective rather than subjective, you should base your analysis on direct observations or some level of research. Your writing may be inspired by your experiences but it must be objective rather than subjective in tone and content.

The essay must be typed in a 12-point font, double spaced, with one inch margins. Be sure to employ APA format and to include a References page if your writing includes research.