Abstract
The changing economic environment in health care is pushing the health care construction industry to produce facilities which support improvements in patient care, patient experience, patient safety, staff satisfaction, and financial outcomes. The successful design, construction, and operation of a new or renovated intensive care unit (ICU) requires the participation of intensive care nurses to achieve success. A partnership between the architect and nurse, definition of the desired operational processes, and knowledge of evidence-based design are the foundations of good design. Hospital executives who support the participation of nurses in ICU facility projects will gain an efficient and safe intensive care facility.