JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The neonatal intensive care unit at Florida Hospital Altamonte is now complete. The new NICU includes 10 private patient rooms, a family lounge and nesting room and prioritizes the patient experience to create a calming environment for patients and families. Gresham, Smith and Partners served as architect; the general contractor was Brasfield & Gorrie.
The interior finishes complement those found in the hospital, but form the NICU’s own unique identity. The spa-like color palette, wood tones and artwork establish a tranquil, healing environment.
The new NICU houses a nesting room where parents can spend the night alone with their child – but with easy access to nurses – before discharge to achieve greater comfort caring for their baby and ease the transition to home life. A family lounge is for the exclusive use of NICU families and includes a kitchen, space to relax and TV/entertainment. There is also an adjacent shower and toilet room so that families can stay near their baby.
Each patient room is equipped with telemetry monitoring inside the room, on the headwall, as well as outside of the room in the nursing alcoves. This integrated technology allows nurses to monitor the babies’ vitals without entering the room and disturbing the patients and their families. The facility also features the baby security system, HUGS, and the nurses’ station is located at the entrance providing additional oversight and security.
