The design or redesign of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit requires a unified approach which necessitates dedication to understanding newborn physiology and maturation, as well as an effort to provide a physical environment conductive to the patient, the family and the neonatal health care team. This must be accomplished with both space and cost a major consideration. We have just completed the planning, design, and implementation of a new forty bed NICU. Unless there is a well defined approach to the project, hospital politics and unresolved departmental issues are a prelude to failure. The following scheme outlines our approach to designing a modern NICU which will be ”user friendly: and satisfy the needs of all involved groups.
1. Vision Statement; 2. Primary Committee Formation (physicians, nurses, respiratory therapy, administration); 3. Secondary Committee Formation (social work, physical therapy, laboratory, pharmacy, nutrition); 4. Selection of major architect; 5. Selection of neonatal design specialist; 6. Formation of space allocation and financial budget; 7. Medical team unit design; 8. Secondary committee unit design; 8. Visitation to other sites; 9. Review and approval of overall schematic design; 10. Review and approval of specific schematic design (headwalls, lighting, acoustics, hospital information systems); 11. Equipment planning strategy; 12. Review and approval of interior design; 12. Submission of the design materials to the State Planning Commission for approval.
