Former Surgical Unit to be Transformed into Accommodating Environment for Children, Families

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Children in need of intensive cardiac care and their families will soon have a new home at Norton Children’s Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky.

DesignGroup is transforming the fourth floor of the hospital into The Jennifer Lawrence Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. The CICU will feature 17 private rooms dedicated to children recovering from heart procedures, including open heart surgery, heart transplant and other conditions requiring intensive care.

Rendering of Spine entry desk.

Norton Healthcare plans to invest $78.3 million to create the CICU and renovate the “Just for Kids” Critical Care Center and two of the neonatal intensive care units at Norton Children’s Hospital, with renovations and additions totaling over 101,000 square feet.

Part of the puzzle was redesigning the first floor into a new 7,000-square-foot conference center. Moving the conference center from the sixth floor to the first floor created space to accommodate a 24-bed medical and surgical unit, which had been on the fourth floor. The pediatric intensive care unit, which is also being renovated, will remain on the fourth floor with the new CICU.

Rendering of North Spine addition.

In total, 20 different departments were moved to make space for the renovations. The moves not only made space but also consolidated services to make the hospital more efficient and more accessible to patients.

Clear wayfinding signs that are unique to each floor, as well as welcoming graphics on the walls, are designed to make visitors feel at ease. Visiting rooms for extended family will be added, providing natural light and a view of the healing garden. Additionally, free classes will be offered to the community in the new and renovated spaces, covering topics such as nutrition and family education.

The expected completion for the CICU is the end of 2019. The entire renovation and expansion project is slated for completion in 2021.

Photos courtesy of DesignGroup.