Enhancing the therapeutic potential of hospital environments by increasing the personal control and emotional comfort of hospitalized patients

Previous literature has revealed that patients in various health-care facilities worldwide have experienced dissatisfaction with aspects of the hospital environment. This article focuses on the impact of the hospital environment on patients' perceptions of personal control. The grounded theory method was used, and interviews with 40 patient participants and 75 hours of field observations provided data for this study. Personal control was found to be a central feature of emotional comfort, a therapeutic state that was considered to be an integral part of recovery. This study outlines some new directions for enhancing the therapeutic potential of hospital environments.