Unless specified otherwise, the following recommendations apply to the newborn intensive care built environment, although most have broader application for the care of ill infants and their families.

Where the word shall is used, it is the consensus of the committee participants that the standard is appropriate for future NICU constructions. We recognize that it may not be reasonable to apply these standards to existing NICUs or those undergoing limited renovation.

We also recognize the need to avoid statements requiring mandatory compliance unless a clear scientific basis or consensus exists. The standards presented in this document address only those areas where we believe such data or consensus are available.

Individuals and organizations applying these standards should understand that this document is not meant to be all-encompassing.  It is intended to provide guidance for the planning team to apply the functional aspects of operations with sensitivity to the needs of infants, family and staff. The program planning and design process should include research, evidence based recommendations and materials, with objective input of experts in the field in addition to the internal interdisciplinary team.  The design should creatively reflect the vision and spirit of the infants, families and staff of the unit.  The program and design process should include:

	Review of articles on practice, teambuilding, and planning
	Education in the change process
	Visits to new and renovated units
	Vendor Fairs
	Vision and Goals
	Program Planning
	Space planning, including methods to visualize 3-D space
	Operations planning, including traffic patterns, functional locations, and relationship to ancillary services
	Interior planning
	Surface materials selection
	Review of blueprints, specifications, other documents and mock-ups
	Building and construction
	Post-construction verification and remediation.