Session Detail

As NICU care continues to become more complex, a greater focus on family-centered care has led to the implementation of single-family rooms (SFR). An interdisciplinary team with members from healthcare, communication, and design conducted a pre- and post-occupancy evaluation of a NICU moving from an open bay to SFR unit with decentralized nurse stations. The focus of this research was to analyze the effects of the differing models on staff efficiency and satisfaction. Data collection methods included staff surveys, focus groups, occupancy counts, time studies, and communication documentation. Survey results indicate NICU staff had significantly higher perceptions of efficiency and design satisfaction in the new environment. More than half of all interactions were less than 1 minute. Presentation will further detail research outcomes so that attendees can gain a diverse perspective on the various aspects of NICU nursing unit models and their impact on efficiency.