Room to Visit, Room to Heal

With patients and families spending more time in the hospital, it’s more important than ever that the environment promotes healing and well-being. That’s why Packard Children’s is adding 146 new private rooms—so that families have more privacy and the space to be together during treatment and recovery.

“Design is not just focusing on making new hospitals pretty and nice. It’s about focusing on patient outcomes,” says Jill Sullivan, MSN, RN, vice president of Hospital Transformation at Packard Children’s. “Studies show that physical design of a health care setting influences clinical, psychosocial, and safety outcomes. It’s a key component of providing patient- and family-centered care.”

Rooms will be bright and airy, with large curtained windows overlooking gardens and natural landscaping. Acoustical materials will dampen noise and foster privacy. To encourage families to visit and spend time, the rooms will be spacious and equipped with extra storage. Double beds, bathrooms with showers—some with full-sized tubs—and built-in closets will enable parents to stay by their child’s side during longer stays. A large, erasable wall panel will be positioned at child height so kids can draw, doodle, or leave messages. The Intensive Care units will also have shared kitchen and laundry facilities.

The design also allows hospital staff to work more efficiently. Hallway windows will allow nurses to keep an eye on their patients without having to enter the room and interrupt family time. A dedicated medication alcove will create space for concentration and a red light above the hallway door will notify others that the nurse should not be interrupted. Sit-down modular stations with computers for tracking medical records will be located in the hallway between each room.

In-room accommodations also will address current needs for communication and access: Internet access, mp3 charging stations, and headphones will keep patients, visitors, and families tuned in. And all rooms will features a large, flat-screen TV and a smaller bedside console for parents to access educational videos and medical resources through the hospital’s new Packard Vision network.