Traumatic Brain Injury Rehab Unit

Strong Memorial Hospital, after experiencing an expanding population of patients with traumatic brain injuries (stroke, injury, general, and pediatric) being admitted, began working with HOLT to convert a med/surg unit to a purpose-built rehabilitation unit. The existing unit consisted of 14 patient rooms and associated services arranged in a circle around a central nurse station, with individual plumbing and electrical chases for each room, causing unnecessary wasted space. Primarily the rooms were shared, and the corridors were narrow and not conducive to those using mobility devices (walker, wheelchair, etc.) of whom the unit sees daily.

The renovated unit gutted and reformatted the existing space to create a layout of all private rooms with centralized equipment, utilities, and nurses station. The new unit provides wider corridors with enough space for multiple patients using assistive equipment to move freely, creates social spaces for interacting with visiting family or other patients on the unit, and provides greater visibility for staff.

The project also includes significant aesthetic upgrades to create a more comfortable environment for patients and to attract and retain staff. As well, a new staff lounge was created with natural light and warm wood accents to create an area of respite for nurses and other staff working on the unit.