Perceptions of Changing from an Open Bay NICU Design to Single Patient Family Rooms
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Interior Design
Institution
University of Kentucky
KY House District #
88
KY Senate District #
6
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Lindsey Fay
Department
School of Interiors
Abstract
Author: Caroline Miracle
Perceptions of Changing from an Open Bay NICU Design to Single Patient Family Rooms
Advancements in evidence-based design and a greater focus onpatient and family-centered care, the inclusion of single patient rooms, and improvements in technology, have led to the implementation of single-family rooms versus the traditional open bay NICU design. The single-family room system was implemented with the goals of increasing privacy for families, offering better control over environmental stimuli, and reducing infections. However, these changes have additionally been found to have a significant impact on staff perceptions of the environment relative to satisfaction and efficiency of care. The challenge now remains to weigh the implications of these changes in the patient-care process relative to satisfaction and design. Prior research reflects an increase in staff satisfaction with the change from open bay to single-patient rooms. In a study by Bosch, Bledsoe, & Jenzarli (2012), staff rated the single-family (NICU) room more positively relative to quality of work environment, quality of patient care, job quality, safety and security, interaction with technology, and overall satisfaction. An interdisciplinary team has conducted a multi-phased pre- and post-occupancy evaluation of a clinical unit, NICU, moving from the open bay system to single-family rooms. The concerns for the staff centered in on safety, quality of care, staff safety and visibility to babies. Data collection includes focus groups, behavioral mapping, room usage, time studies, and pedometer measurements, for post-occupancy of each space, in order to yield qualitative and quantitative outcomes. This study has important implications for understanding efficiency in healthcare design. This data would expose both positive and negative attributes of the single-family room design versus the open bay system. This study would influence future design considerations in NICU design solutions.
Perceptions of Changing from an Open Bay NICU Design to Single Patient Family Rooms
Author: Caroline Miracle
Perceptions of Changing from an Open Bay NICU Design to Single Patient Family Rooms
Advancements in evidence-based design and a greater focus onpatient and family-centered care, the inclusion of single patient rooms, and improvements in technology, have led to the implementation of single-family rooms versus the traditional open bay NICU design. The single-family room system was implemented with the goals of increasing privacy for families, offering better control over environmental stimuli, and reducing infections. However, these changes have additionally been found to have a significant impact on staff perceptions of the environment relative to satisfaction and efficiency of care. The challenge now remains to weigh the implications of these changes in the patient-care process relative to satisfaction and design. Prior research reflects an increase in staff satisfaction with the change from open bay to single-patient rooms. In a study by Bosch, Bledsoe, & Jenzarli (2012), staff rated the single-family (NICU) room more positively relative to quality of work environment, quality of patient care, job quality, safety and security, interaction with technology, and overall satisfaction. An interdisciplinary team has conducted a multi-phased pre- and post-occupancy evaluation of a clinical unit, NICU, moving from the open bay system to single-family rooms. The concerns for the staff centered in on safety, quality of care, staff safety and visibility to babies. Data collection includes focus groups, behavioral mapping, room usage, time studies, and pedometer measurements, for post-occupancy of each space, in order to yield qualitative and quantitative outcomes. This study has important implications for understanding efficiency in healthcare design. This data would expose both positive and negative attributes of the single-family room design versus the open bay system. This study would influence future design considerations in NICU design solutions.