UVA Children's Hospital in Charlottesville, Va., on Jan. 2 unveiled its recently renovated 9,000-square-foot pediatric intensive care unit, CBS 19 reports.
The renovation process took eight months and was part of a $20 million project to renovate the entire hospital. The new design is intended to make the space more child and family friendly.
"We do very serious things here but we want the environment to feel to a child, when they open their eyes, that they're not in a frightening place," said Karin Skeen, RN, associate chief nurse at UVA Children's Hospital, according to the report.
The new PICU includes bright colors and increased amenities, as well as features that help reduce the risk of contracting infections.
"In this renovation, we've taken great pains to keep potentially infected surfaces and substances as far away from the patient as possible and separated by a physical barrier from the patient," said James Nataro, MD, PhD, UVA Children's Hospital physician-in-chief, according to the report. "It's important that we have the physical infrastructure that matches the quality of the services we provide."