Abstract

This literature review study aimed to develop a set of key evidence-based design considerations for a prototype (3-Dimensional) cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) that promotes patient health and safety as well as staff work efficiency. To provide convergent evidence about the association between cardiac intensive care and the physical environment, searches were conducted in the PubMed, Google Scholar, and other databases as well as in certain specialized journals. The inclusion criteria included qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods studies, or systematic reviews; written in English; and related to the built environmental design of cardiac intensive care. The contents of the selected articles were first extracted and then analyzed and synthesized. The results of this review demonstrated that the CICU physical design had a strong influence on patient health and safety. A total of more than forty CICU design recommendations were identified. In practice, all environmental and nonenvironmental factors should be holistically considered in the design decision-making process. The next step is the development and testing of prototypes that incorporate relevant design strategies before wide application. This literature review disclosed the key design strategies that enhance the physical design of CICUs. Further research is needed to evaluate the prototype and to investigate the future needs and issues in designing CICUs.