This article highlights the results of a literature review undertaken to identify transition strategies for staff who moved from an open plan unit layout to a single-room design (SRD) neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) layout.
The objective of this literature review was to identify previously documented strategies implemented to assist staff throughout the transition to a new NICU design.
A list of keywords was developed that included: intensive care units, neonatal, hospital design and construction, single-room design, change management, and staff attitude to change. Of 29 articles identified, only seven highlighted strategies used during the transition to single-room design. Two main categories from the seven relevant articles were noted: 1) proposed strategies implemented during the transition and 2) post-transition issues and solutions. Strategies identified to facilitate the transition to DRD included teamwork (including transition teams); multifaceted communication initiatives; and celebrations (of time spent in the old unit and reflecting on history). Post-transition issues and solutions included maintaining effective communication and being open to developing new models of care or other strategies and technologies that may be required to accommodate the new unit design.
There is literature that addresses a variety of NICU unit designs but only minimal information relating to addressing staff needs and concerns when undertaking a significant change in daily operations such as SRD requires.
A limited number of articles are focused on staff needs during transition from an open NICU design to SRD. Transitions from other types of units may have elicited information non-specific to the NICU, but that information still might have been relevant to a significant transition on a nursing unit.