The impact of special care nursery design on neonatal nurses

The current study examined the impact of neonatal nursery design on nursing staff in an Australian context. Nurses' employee adjustment and job demands and resources were examined, using surveys and interviews, before and after the transition from an open-bay to a single family room (SFR) design. Results revealed significant increases in the level of nurse workload and isolation. Most employee adjustment and resources indicators remained relatively unchanged after the transition, however inconsistencies were found between survey and interview findings. Personal accomplishment improved in the SFR, and nurses reported increased satisfaction from the benefits accruing to infants and parents in SFR, which we argue potentially ameliorate the impact of increased workload and isolation within the SFR.