While acute care projects aim to address evolving care needs and rising patient volumes, they’re also using design strategies to help attract and retain nurses and other clinicians, through safer workspaces and innovative amenity spaces.

“The nursing shortage, due to factors such as early retirement, burnout, workplace injuries, and not filling the vacancies timely with new nurses, is a national challenge that is trending in the wrong direction,” says Sam Burnette, principal at ESa (Nashville, Tenn.). “Good design can help owners make their facilities an attractive place to work.”

(Find more on acute care facility design trends here.)

Equipment, layouts to support healthcare staff

As more people are working longer into their careers, Susan McDevitt, senior clinical planning principal at HDR (Seattle), says facilities should focus on “trying to make sure that everything is efficient. We don’t want it to be the huge physical toll that for a long time it had been,” she says.

For example, integrating ceiling lifts into patient rooms can assist staff with turning a patient or helping get them up and out of bed. Co-locating supplies and equipment rooms for medication, nutrition, and equipment helps nurses get what they need from a centralized location without having to walk long distances.

Designing for staff safety, respite

Staff safety is another priority. With the addition of AdventHealth’s new patient tower on its Parker, Colo., campus, the project focused on opening up the layout in the post-anesthesia care unit to ensure clear sightlines among coworkers.

“All the nurses’ stations will have direct visibility and provide safety not just for patients but for staff members to assist on codes,” says Brenna Costello, principal, health studio leader at SmithGroup (Denver), the architect on the project in partnership with Boulder Associates.

Outside of clinical space needs, McDevitt says she’s seeing a focus on staff amenity spaces, including the return of dedicated locker rooms and spaces for staff to keep their belongings close to them.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center new inpatient tower, expected to open in 2026, will include a staff “genius bar,” where staff can get help with technology and equipment, as well as Amazon lockers in offstage areas for staff to receive packages safely, she says.

More owners are also recognizing the importance of respite rooms to provide a place for staff to go to decompress.

“We can plan a very nice staff respite room in 80 to 90 square feet, with calming artwork, dimmable lighting, and a soft chair or two,” Burnette says. “Providing these small spaces is an affordable way for hospital leadership to let their nurses and clinicians know they are appreciated.”

Anne DiNardo is editor-in-chief of Healthcare Design and can be reached at [email protected].