The role of physical design and informal communication

Voluntary Participation: Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary and
you may refuse to participate in part or all of the study, or discontinue participation at
any time without penalty. Your decision about whether or not you participate in the
study will not affect your current or future relationship with Cornell University or
Crouse Hospital.
Risks and Benefits: We do not anticipate any risks to you participating in this study
other than those encountered in the day-to-day routine of a new nurse.
There are no direct benefits to you other than that of contributing to the scientific
knowledge in this field. The degree of stress experienced by new nurses is well
documented and we hope to better understand how multiple factors in the work
environment of new nurse graduates contribute to their health and well being. We do
expect that the results of this research will contribute to the growing body of
knowledge of evidence-based design that is helping transform hospital design.
Alternatives:
3. If you decide that you don’t want to participate in certain aspects of the study
you may still participate in the aspects of the study for which you provide
consent.
4. If, at any point during the study, you decide to withdraw from part of the study,
you will continue with the remaining aspects of the study as originally planned.
Costs/Payments: There will be no payment for your participation, and there will be
no costs to you for participating.
Confidentiality. The records of this study will be kept private. In any presentation or
report of the study findings we make public we will not include any information that
will make it possible to identify you. Crouse Hospital will not have access to any
individual’s data collected by the Cornell Team (ie., survey data, interaction data,
blood pressure data, interview data). Research records will be kept in a locked file in
the research team’s offices at Cornell University. Only the researchers will have
access to the records.
You may change your mind and take back this authorization at any time by writing to
Professor Franklin Becker (see below). If you do this you will no longer be able to
participate in the research. However, even if you take back this authorization, the
information already obtained may be used and shared as permitted by this Informed
Consent.
Questions: The Principal Investigator for this study is Franklin Becker, Professor of
Design & Environmental Analysis, Cornell University. Please ask any questions you
have now. If you have questions later, you may contact Professor Becker at
fdb2@cornell.edu or at 607.255.1950. If you have any questions or concerns regarding
your rights as a subject in this study, you may contact the Cornell University
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