A unit's experience with hybrid NICU design: description of care model and implications for patients, families, and professionals.

As the first extra-uterine setting for hospitalized infants, the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environment can make a lasting impact on their long-term neurodevelopment. This impact is likely mediated through both specific characteristics of the physical design of the care environment, as well as the experiences that occur within this environment. Recent studies document many established benefits of single-family rooms (SFRs). However, there is concern that infants who spend a prolonged time in SFRs without their parents being intimately involved in their care have reduced opportunities for meaningful experiences, with possible adverse consequences. The purpose of this report is to share an example of an application of the family-centered developmental care model through a hybrid NICU design, inclusive of both SFRs and semi-private bays. In this paper, we empirically describe the physical and operational considerations of a hybrid model, outline the strengths and challenges of this approach, and discuss implications for patients, families, and professionals.