Nursing unit at Middlesex Hospital - Middletwon, CT

Middletown, CT Middlesex Hospital opened the doors to the newly renovated 14,750 s/f nursing unit designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM). SLAM has worked closely with Middlesex Healthcare System for over 20 years in the planning and design of a multitude of projects on their main hospital campus, as well as off-site locations. The recently completed North Building sixth floor renovation is part of an initiative across all patient bed floors to enhance patient satisfaction and staff efficiencies. This unit includes 24 beds with 17 private rooms, three semi-privates, and one isolation room. As part of the ongoing effort directed toward the North building of the Hospital campus, the fifth floor was completed in 2008 and construction is already underway on the fourth floor which is expected to open in September.

“The guiding principle throughout the design process was to improve staff’s visibility of patients due to the high level of observation required for the geriatric population that will be located on this floor,” said Steven Doherty, AIA, ACHE, SLAM design principal.

A comprehensive planning study determined the optimal location for a satellite nurse station with the ability to view multiple patient beds while working around existing building infrastructure. As a result, the design includes nurse work alcoves with observation windows looking directly into the patient rooms along with cameras in select rooms.