Hospitals are places designed to promote healing and well-being, yet plants are noticeably absent from most hospital rooms. This seems counterintuitive, as studies have shown that being around nature can reduce stress, improve mood, lower heart rate and blood pressure, reduce pain, and speed up healing. So why don’t hospitals allow plants?
Infection Control
The main reason plants are prohibited in most hospitals is due to infection control policies. Hospitals are highly susceptible to infections for several reasons:
- There are lots of people together in a confined space
- Many patients have weakened immune systems
- Invasive procedures and devices breach the body’s natural defenses
- Antibiotic use encourages growth of resistant bacteria
Introducing plants and soil into such an environment risks bringing in mold, bacteria, and other microbes that could colonize immunocompromised patients. This can lead to opportunistic infections which are difficult to treat.
| Microbe | Source | Disease |
|---|---|---|
| Aspergillus | Soil, plants, water | Aspergillosis |
| Candida | Soil, plants | Candidiasis |
| Pseudomonas | Soil, water | Pseudomonas infections |
Aspergillus, Candida, and Pseudomonas are three common microbes found in soil and plants that can infect immunocompromised patients leading to serious complications and death in some cases.
Allergens
Another reason plants are discouraged in clinical settings is because they can trigger dangerous allergic reactions in some patients and staff. An estimated 7.5% of people in the U.S. have pollen allergies, which can cause symptoms ranging from sneezing and itchy eyes to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Common plant allergens include:
- Pollens – Trees, grasses, weeds
- Fragrances – Flowers, herbs
- Latex – Rubber plants, poinsettias, figs
- Pesticides – Bug sprays, fertilizers
Being suddenly exposed to these allergens in an enclosed hospital room could trigger a severe reaction in susceptible individuals. For staff, repeated contact with allergens may exacerbate respiratory issues like asthma.
Most Common Plant Allergens
| Allergen Source | Example Plants |
|---|---|
| Tree pollen | Oak, birch, cypress, elm, maple |
| Grass pollen | Bermuda, timothy, ryegrass, bluegrass |
| Weed pollen | Ragweed, plantain, nettle, sorrel |
| Flower fragrance | Roses, lilies, daisies, lavender |
| Pesticides | Bug sprays, weed killers, fertilizers |
Safety Hazards
Allowing plants in patient rooms also introduces some safety risks:
- Plants with thorns or toxic berries may harm patients, especially children or those with altered mental status.
- Climbing or vining plants can block sprinklers, medical equipment, or emergency exits.
- Overflowing plant water or loose soil can lead to spills and slippery falls.
- Large pots can harbor vermin like mosquitoes, spiders, or cockroaches.
To avoid these hazards, any plants permitted in healthcare settings are carefully chosen and maintained by trained staff. Poisonous, thorny, fragrant, or messy plants are excluded.
Maintenance Difficulties
Caring for living plants in a busy hospital environment also poses some challenges:
- Patients come and go frequently, making it hard to assign responsibility.
- Severely ill patients may be unable to care for plants themselves.
- Plants require regular watering, feeding, pruning and cleaning.
- Low light, dry air, and inadequate watering causes plants to decline.
- Dying plants appear sad and negatively impact mental health.
While volunteer or auxiliary groups can help maintain hospital plantings, the task still falls most often to overburdened nurses and staff. This makes keeping plants alive in hospitals an ongoing struggle.
Cost Concerns
Some hospitals may want to avoid the costs associated with plants:
- Purchasing indoor-appropriate species
- Proper planters, soils, fertilizers
- Ongoing caretaking by paid horticultural staff
- Regular cleaning to control dirt, dust, pests
- Testing plants for molds and allergens
- Monitoring and treating plant-related infections
With limited budgets and more vital medical priorities, non-critical expenses like indoor landscaping may be cut. Administrators may see plants as an unnecessary burden on hospital finances.
The Benefits of Nature
Despite the valid concerns, there are good reasons hospitals should make room for plants. Hundreds of studies confirm nature’s healing effects:
- Plants improve air quality by increasing oxygen and absorbing pollutants.
- Being around greenspace reduces pain and improves postsurgical outcomes.
- Flowers and plants reduce anxiety, depression, agitation, and stress.
- Views of nature calm the autonomic nervous system.
- Gardening activities speed rehabilitation and improve well-being.
Considering these benefits, many hospitals now include gardens, green spaces, atriums, and carefully designed indoor plantings. Just a few guidelines can ensure plants enhance – not endanger – patient health.
Creating Safe, Therapeutic Gardens
Hospitals can permit plants in a safe, cost-effective manner by following these simple guidelines:
- Choose hardy, non-toxic plants appropriate for indoor settings.
- Avoid species known to trigger allergies or asthma.
- Locate plants out of reach of children and disoriented patients.
- Use enclosed, elevated planters to prevent soil contact.
- Ensure regular, professional horticultural maintenance.
- Educate staff to identify and report issues promptly.
- Disinfect plant spaces frequently to prevent pathogen spread.
- Train volunteers to aid with basic plant care and enjoy gardening benefits.
- Site leafy greenspaces near waiting areas to soak up pollutants.
- Plant healing gardens for use by walkable patients.
With attentive policies, potential risks can be minimized while patients still reap nature’s holistic advantages. Several studies have shown indoor plants in hospitals enhance healing, reduce pain, ease anxiety, and improve mood – all without increasing infection rates.
Conclusion
Though logistical hurdles exist, the evidence shows plants have therapeutic properties too strong for hospitals to ignore. With prudent guidelines and vigilance, facilities can safely integrate natural elements to nurture patients emotionally as well as physically. The health benefits far outweigh the risks. As our understanding of nature’s impact on well-being grows, perhaps one day each hospital room will feature its own indoor garden oasis.