Anest. intenziv. Med. 2024;35(1):8-11 | DOI: 10.36290/aim.2024.003

ICU design analysis: Are we really moving forward?Original Article

Harazim M.

Interní gastroenterologická klinika Fakultní nemocnice Brno

Lékařská fakulta Masarykovy univerzity, Brno

This paper analyses the spatial layout of adult intensive care units (ICUs) that were built in the Czech Republic in 2023 under the REACT 98 call. A comparative evaluation was performed to compare the design features of these units with the latest recommendations of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine from 2011. The investigation focuses on key parameters such as spatial layout, bed capacity, area dedicated around the patient's bed, access to natural light, availability of toilet facilities for the patient, family areas. The study concludes that most of the evaluated projects do not fulfil the proposed recommendations in the parameters studied and cannot be seen as examples of ideal practice or models of architectural evolution. For the future, it is important that the evolution of ICU layout responds to current medical knowledge, respects the recommendations, and helps in achieving an optimal ICU environment, which is crucial for improving patient care.

Keywords: ICU, design, layout, patient room, environment.

Received: December 7, 2023; Revised: February 2, 2024; Accepted: February 7, 2024; Prepublished online: February 22, 2024; Published: March 28, 2024  Show citation