The University of Iowa recently announced it received the ICU Design Citation for the pediatric intensive care unit/pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PICU/PCICU) at the Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

The ICU design citation honors “ICUs that successfully combine functional design with humanitarian delivery of care,” as stated in a press release from the hospital.

“The UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital incorporated several innovative elements throughout the design of its pediatric ICU, including special touches suggested by patients and their families,” said Laura Rednour of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. “The hospital’s focus on patient and family-centered care is apparent throughout the unit, including architectural elements, décor, floor plan and room design.”

The award will be presented in Boston during the 2018 National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition. The exposition is the largest and most comprehensive trade show for critical care and high-acuity nurses.

“The award really recognizes the excellent design and planning that impacts the patient care we deliver,” said Jody Kurtt, the director of Nursing and Patient Care for Children’s & Women’s Services. “It’s nice to receive this nationally awarded prize that recognizes the new hospital and the care we give within the hospital. We tried to make sure it was a healing environment but also innovative, which makes an environment that supports patients and families.”

The PICU/PCICU floor has almost 30 private rooms, with 14 specifically designated for cardiac patients. Other rooms are equipped for specific needs including items for bariatric patients, EEG monitoring, and isolation rooms.

Each room has three distinct areas for patients, families, and caregiving teams, with overhead booms to provide treatment via positioning monitors and other medical devices overhead. A touch screen TV is also located on the boom, allowing patients to be entertained even when lying flat.

The Stead Family Children’s Hospital opened in February 2017, providing care to thousands of patients and families since its inception. Those who designed the facilities provided added levels of attention to ensure that children would be comfortable even in the unfamiliar environment of an intensive care unit.

“Being in an intensive care unit as a child or parent whose child is in one can be frightening,” said Scott Hansche of Heery International, the architecture firm designing the facilities. “The patient rooms were designed so the families can stay with the children. All design decisions were based upon if it would improve the patient’s stay in the hospital and accommodate the parent.”

Hansche said the design provides the latest in technology combined with a large amount of natural light, to promote healing.