Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation Institute for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Wilmington, Delaware
When Nemours Children’s Hospital decided to revamp its pediatric hematology and oncology unit in Wilmington, Del., the project team was asked to deliver a fundamentally different care environment without adding a single square foot. The existing 24-bed unit housed tight patient rooms, underutilized hallway alcoves, and centralized nurses’ stations that limited visibility and slowed response times.
A $19.6 million renovation, completed in March 2025 and submitted to the 2026 Healthcare Design Showcase by HDR (Philadelphia), updates the 20,000-square-foot unit to better support clinical collaboration and patient comfort.
Pediatric oncology unit layout designed for staff efficiency
To improve staff efficiency, the unit’s layout shifted from three pods of eight rooms to six smaller pods of four, with a decentralized nurses’ station in each pod and charting stations between pairs of rooms.
The decentralized approach puts care teams closer to patients, which improves visibility and response times while creating space for an expanded team of nutritionists and child life specialists.
Patient room layout changes improve circulation and family connection
Originally, patient rooms placed the headwall and bathroom door on the same side of the room, which led to crowding at the patient’s head and a disconnect between the patient and family zones.
By flipping the bed orientation and moving charting to the hallway, the project decompresses the patient zone, improves circulation, and keeps families connected to both the patient and care team.
Pocket parks support daily life beyond the patient room
Additionally, underused alcoves are repurposed into “pocket parks” for daily activities, a move that impressed Showcase jurors. Nestled between patient pods, each area features a home-inspired identity, including a kitchen, teen hangout, rec room, great room, and corner “backyard” with outdoor views. The spaces normalize daily life, such as schoolwork, meals, therapy, and play, beyond the patient room.
For more coverage of the 2026 Healthcare Design Showcase, go here.
Find updates and additional information on the 2026 HCD Conference + Expo here.
