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SpaceMed Newsletter

Spring 2009

Volume 2, Number 2

Estimating the Space Required for Inpatient Nursing Units

Nursing Unit Type	Department Gross Square Feet (DGSF)	Comments

Acute Medical/Surgical (All Private Patient Rooms)	450 to 700 DGSF per bed	Lower range assumes standard-sized patient rooms and typical support space on the unit; higher range assumes more amply-sized patient rooms, enhanced patient/visitor amenities, and expanded point-of-care diagnostic services on the unit.
Acute Medical/Surgical (Mix of Private and Semiprivate Patient Rooms)	350 to 575 DGSF per bed	Lower range assumes a high percentage of semi-private patient rooms; higher range assumes more private patient rooms, more amply-sized patient rooms, enhanced patient/visitor amenities, and expanded point-of-care diagnostic services on the unit.
Pediatric Unit	500 to 700 DGSF per bed	Lower range assumes a mix of private and semi-private patient rooms; higher range assumes all private patient rooms, more amply-sized patient rooms, and enhanced family amenities.
Intensive Care Unit	600 to 700 DGSF per bed	Higher range assumes more amply-sized patient cubicles, enhanced family amenities, and expanded point-of-care diagnostic services on the unit.
Rehabilitation/ Skilled Nursing/ Subacute Unit	500 to 650 DGSF per bed	Lower range assumes a mix of private and semi-private patient rooms; higher range assumes all private patient rooms, more amply-sized patient rooms, and expanded patient/family amenities.
Psychiatric Unit	400 to 500 DGSF per bed	Lower range assumes mostly semiprivate patient rooms; higher range assumes more private patient rooms and expanded activity and therapy space.

Note: DGSF represents the "footprint" of the nursing unit and includes the net square feet of the individual rooms as well as the space occupied by internal circulation corridors, walls/partition, and minor utility shafts; to estimate the actual floor gross square feet (FGSF) for a bed tower, an additional 15 to 20 percent more space will be required to account for shared public lobbies, elevator banks, stairwells, major mechanical spaces, and the space occupied by the building's exterior wall.

Source: SpaceMed Guide (Second Edition).

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