The ICUs began their care when it became clear that patients with acute illnesses could be better cared for if they were grouped in specific areas of the hospital. And hence, it becomes important for hospital owners to take help of experienced Hospital Construction Companies in India so that the hospital can become helpful to its patients so that they can heal in a better environment.
The result of several studies ensures that there is a direct relationship between the patient’s recovery and the environment perceived through the architectural design and Hospital Building Plan.
Over time this section of hospital has continued to evolve more and more with increasingly clear functional, structural and organizational objectives in order to guarantee the appropriate safety, quality and efficiency conditions to care for patients susceptible to recovery.
So the architectural challenge consists of humanizing the spaces, moving away from the hospital perception, thus making the patient feel in a comfortable environment as a good design can also intervene in the patient’s healing.
Below, we will list some of the important things suggested by professionals that must be taken into account when designing the ICU in order to make the patients feel comfortable during the treatment:
1. Natural light
Natural light is essential for the healing process of patients inside the ICU, having openings to the outside, with sliding windows or fixed glass (with the possibility of darkening and tinting of sunlight) as a basic element to allow the recovery of patient through natural light, the day and night cycle, maintaining the circadian rhythm of the admitted patient. Sleep deprivation produces delirium, confusion and emotional disturbances, negatively affecting the recovery of the patient.
2. Exterior views
Having views to the outside and especially if it is to the nature that the ICU unit has, allows the patient to look outside as a positive distraction system, reducing stress and calming their anxieties that could produce negative values in the process recovery, but an outside view may be especially important to conscious patients.
3. Noise reduction
One of the main reasons for complaints from patients in the ICU is the noise level of the environment that, especially at night, prevents patients from resting.
To minimize noise levels inside the unit, the alarms must be modulated and decisions on the materials of the finishes (floors, walls and ceilings) that must have high acoustic absorption and at the same time consider the characteristics related to maintenance, cleaning and control of nosocomial infection.
4. Patient safety
At the time of designing the unit, counteracting infections in order to offer safety to patients should be a high priority and for this we must start by combating the most vulnerable points of contamination focus since they are those that are generally touched with the hands.
It is recommended that the faucets of the sinks and bathrooms are with sensors and controls to avoid the touch of the healthcare personnel. The door handles must be made of antimicrobial materials. So, these are some of the issues that should be considered at the time of designing an ICU, however, to achieve success in this regard, the best option is to Hospital Designers in India.