Florida Hospital Orlando opened a 31,860-square-foot neurocritical care unit, with critical care staff and the nursing team playing a major role in development and planning. The three new patient floors are in Florida Hospital Orlando’s Ginsburg tower.

The hospital is the first U.S. neurocritical care site equipped with two recently FDA-approved, 256-channel EEG systems, according to the release. This monitoring system allows for the maximum comprehensive neurodiagnostics for epilepsy patients who need advanced brain activity mapping.

Members of the hospital’s nursing staff played a unique role in the development of the 31,000-square-foot patient floors. The staff voted on designs to keep the floor focused on positive nursing and patient-centered care.

Traditionally enclosed nursing stations and meeting space were redesigned to increase visibility of patient rooms. Workflow was improved through placing nursing alcoves next to patient rooms, with physician and support staff work areas adjacent to the nurses. Also, design elements maximize communication while keeping the patient environment peaceful through the use of glass and ceiling tiles that absorb noise, according to the release.

"The design plan for each floor was driven by the nurses and built on evidence-based principles," Mary Jo Petersen, MN, ARNP, director of neuroscience nursing, said in the release. "The units are a combination of advanced technology and design that support healing, family integration and our faith-based care."