🏥 Complete Details: ICU Layout Planning — Most Common Mistakes

Below are the top mistakes hospitals often make in ICU planning, along with explanations and best practices.

1️⃣ Poor Space Allocation & Overcrowding

Many ICUs in Pakistan are built in small or congested spaces, limiting the ability to install required equipment.

❌ Common Mistakes

• Beds placed too close (less than 10 ft apart)

• Insufficient circulation space for trolleys

• No designated family waiting zone

• No segregation between critical & moderate patients

✅ Best Practice

• Minimum 150–200 sq ft per bed

• Adequate turning radius for beds & mobile equipment

• Dedicated space for quick-response teams

• Family waiting area OUTSIDE the ICU

2️⃣ Inadequate Zoning of Clean & Dirty Areas

ICUs must have strict separation between:

• Clean corridor

• Dirty corridor

• Sterile storage

• Soiled room

❌ Mistakes

• One entry used for both staff & patients

• No dirty utility area

• Sterile items stored near patient beds

✅ Best Practice

• Dual-corridor system

• Clean & dirty materials follow one-way flow

• Separate donning/doffing rooms

3️⃣ Poor Nurse Visibility & Monitoring

Nursing staff must be able to see every patient from a central location.

❌ Mistakes

• Blind corners

• Monitoring screens too far

• High partitions blocking line-of-sight

✅ Best Practice

• Central nurse station with 360° view

• Glass partitions instead of solid walls

• Central monitoring connected to all beds

4️⃣ Wrong Bed Orientation & Distances

❌ Mistakes

• Beds placed facing each other

• Insufficient spacing on both sides

• No dedicated equipment zone

Recommended Distances

✔️ 5 ft clear area on each side of the bed
✔️ 10–12 ft between two beds
✔️ 15 ft minimum corridor width

Correct spacing reduces infection risk, improves workflow, and allows fast emergency response.

5️⃣ Inadequate Medical Gas Planning

ICUs require precise planning of:

• Oxygen outlets

• Vacuum outlets

• Compressed air

• AGSS (Anaesthetic Gas Scavenging System)

❌ Mistakes

• Underestimating gas outlets

• Low pipeline pressure

• Gas taps placed too high or low

Best Practice

• Minimum 3 oxygen + 2 vacuum + 2 air outlets per bed

• Proper maintenance access

• Color-coded pipelines per international standards

6️⃣ Insufficient Electrical & UPS Backup

ICU equipment must NEVER lose power.

❌ Mistakes

• Shared circuits

• No dedicated UPS

• No surge protection

• Insufficient sockets (common problem in Pakistan)

Best Practice

• Dedicated power circuits for each bed

• Minimum 12–15 electrical outlets per bed

• Life-safety UPS system with 2–4 hrs backup

• Generator auto-transfer system