Design to Improve Visibility: Impact of Corridor Width and Unit Shape

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Design
• Nursing Unit Layout
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Limited research exists on specific hospital unit design attributes influencing nurse-patient visibility.
• Varied visibility relations in hospital units are known to affect nurse behaviors, but the underlying design factors require further investigation.
• Understanding how design elements like size and geometry impact patient observation is critical for improving care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the association between space layout design features and nurse-to-patient visibility in 10 intensive care units (ICUs).
• To review literature on the impact of hospital unit design on nurse/patient visibility relations.
• To identify specific design parameters influencing visibility and compare shape geometry and corridor width in ICUs.

Main Methods:

• Literature review to establish evidence for design's impact on visibility.
• Analysis of 10 ICUs to assess visibility relations using established metrics.
• Comparison of shape geometry and corridor width as key design features affecting visibility.

Main Results:

• Corridor width and ICU shape characteristics positively correlate with visibility.
• Floor plans with high convex fragmentation or longer relative grid distances may reduce overall unit visibility.
• Wider corridors were found to enhance the visibility of patient rooms.

Conclusions:

• Modifications to nursing unit shape configuration and corridor width can significantly impact patient observation and monitoring.
• Design features directly influence the opportunities for nurses to observe and monitor patients effectively.
• Optimizing ICU layout is essential for improving patient safety and care delivery.