The Healthcare Workspace: Understanding the Role of Decentralized Nursing Stations, Corridors, and Huddle Spaces as Locations for Teamwork in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Objective: The goal of this research was to understand the use of decentralized nursing stations (DNS), corridors, and huddle stations as places for teamwork and multidisciplinary care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Background: This article shares outcomes from a pre- and post-occupancy evaluation that assessed a NICU moving from an open-bay model to a new single-family room (SFR) unit comprised of six, 12-bed neighborhoods. This interdisciplinary research team draws upon the practical expertise of a NICU Patient Care Manager and researchers in Design and Communication to illuminate the research process, results, and lessons learned. Methods: A multi-methodological design, approved by the institutional review board, was employed that utilized an electronically distributed pre- and post-move survey of staff and observational counts of face-to-face interactions. Results: Survey results indicate NICU staff have statistically significant higher perceptions of job satisfaction, stress and well-being, and design satisfaction among a variety of professionals after moving to a SFR, decentralized unit design. Consistent with the literature, staff did not have significantly higher perceptions of the decentralized NICU relative to teamwork. Observations revealed frequency of conversations primarily at DNS followed by corridors and huddle stations. When examining the multidisciplinary makeup, outcomes were reversed with huddle spaces holding the largest percentage of conversations. On average, there were 2.72 individuals involved in these interactions, with the corridor seeing the largest average of group sizes. Conclusion: The outcomes of this study demonstrate that neutral spaces such as corridors and centralized huddle stations should be considered as locations for strategic collaboration and multidisciplinary care.

From Stressful to Mindful: Reactions to a Proposed Emergency Department Design for Enhancing Mindfulness and Stress Reduction Among Healthcare Clinical Staff

“…The recent emphasis on creating collaborative spaces in hospital units is one type of response to this need. Collaboration spaces are of significant importance these days, as clinicians need to discuss and decide the best care plans for patients as they deliver more multispecialty care (Fay et al, 2022; Swensen et al, 2016). However, our participants’ emphasis on the need for workspaces that either individuals or groups could use shows the lack of attention to all types of work in existing healthcare work environments, including tasks requiring the highest levels of concentration.…”

A Scientometric Analysis of Wellbeing Research in the Construction Industry

“…This approach was adapted from a previous scientometric review conducted by [37]. In the construction industry, wellbeing has been addressed from several perspectives: mental wellbeing [7], indoor environmental quality in terms of user wellbeing [31], and evaluations of design decisions before and after construction, specifically regarding the health outcomes of users [33][34][35][36]. Consequently, for a comprehensive approach, this study investigates the wellbeing of all categories of individuals, including both construction workers and dwellers in the built environment.…”

“…The literature on wellbeing in the construction industry commonly includes evaluations of design decisions before and after construction, specifically in relation to the health outcomes of users [33][34][35][36]. These studies often have a narrow focus, primarily examining the subjective needs of users within a single case study project.…”

Examining Efficiency in Open-Bay and Single-Family Room NICU Designs

“…Research Team Relevant LiteratureFay et al20 NICU, nursing stations, huddle spaces, job satisfaction, multidisciplinary care, post-occupancy evaluation, stress and well-being, teamworkFay et al 21 Patient rooms, focus groups, health personnel, qualitative research Fay et al 26 Communication, efficiency, design, nursing stations, patient care team, qualitative research Nursing unit design, operational efficiency, post-occupancy evaluation, nursing stations Fay et al 24 Post-occupancy evaluation, emergency department, charrette, design process, evidence-based design Guinther et al 25 Case study, design process, interdisciplinary, post-occupancy, privacy and confidentiality Fay et al…”