RT Book, Section A1 Walsh, Michele C. A2 Stevenson, David K. A2 Cohen, Ronald S. A2 Sunshine, Philip SR Print(0) ID 1109791162 T1 Considerations in NICU Design T2 Neonatology: Clinical Practice and Procedures YR 2015 FD 2015 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9780071763769 LK accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1109791162 RD 2024/11/04 AB Many neonatologists have assumed that the optimal design for a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is one that successfully merges high technology with a supportive “womb-like” environment. In the 1970s, NICUs were sterile, technology-filled dormitories with bombarding visual and auditory stimuli. From the late 1980s forward, efforts have focused on reducing stimulation. Initial attempts led to reduced-light environments, which were thought to simulate the in utero environment. Subsequent randomized trials failed to confirm the protective effects of reduced light on retinopathy of prematurity.1 Other studies demonstrated the importance of cycled lighting on the development of circadian rhythms.2 The application of studies to health care design has been termed evidence-based design. This process, led by architects at the Center for Health Design, has strengthened the evidence base for architectural practices. The field of neonatology has been an early adopter of this principle, with a robust and enthusiastic team that has contributed to ongoing innovations.3,4