Estimating the Space Required for Inpatient

Nursing Units
Originally printed in the
SpaceMed Newsletter
Spring 2009
www.spacemed.com

The following guidelines can be used for estimating the space need for various
types of inpatient nursing units. In general, the department gross square feet
(DGSF) per bed varies based on the mix of private and semiprivate patient rooms,
the size of the patient room and the contiguous toilet/shower room, amount of
family/visitor amenities provided on the unit, and the extent of decentralized pointof-care diagnostic/therapeutive services.
Department
Gross Square Feet
(DGSF)

Unit Type

Acute Medical/Surgical
(All Private Patient Rooms)

Acute Medical/Surgical
(Mix of Private and Semiprivate
Patient Rooms)

Pediatric Unit

500 to 800
DGSF per Bed

350 to 600
DGSF per Bed

500 to 800
DGSF per Bed

Intensive Care Unit

600 to 900
DGSF per Bed

Rehabilitation/Skilled Nursing/
Subacute Unit

Psychiatric Unit

500 to 650
DGSF per Bed

400 to 500
DGSF per Bed

Comments
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 and
therapeutic services on the unit.
Lower range assumes a high percentage of
semi-private patient rooms; higher range assumes more private patient rooms, more amplysized patient rooms, enhanced patient/visitor
amenities, and expanded point-of-care diagnostic and therapeutic services on the unit.
Lower range assumes a mix of private and
semiprivate patient rooms; higher range assumes all private patient rooms, more amplysized patient rooms, and enhanced family
amenities.
Higher range assumes more amply-sized patient cubicles, enhanced family amenities, and
expanded point-of-care diagnostic services on
the unit.
Lower range assumes a mix of private and
semiprivate patient rooms; higher range assumes all private patient rooms, more amplysized patient rooms, and expanded patient/
family amenities and activity and therapy space.
Lower range assumes mostly semiprivate patient rooms; higher range assumes more private
patient rooms and expanded activity and therapy space.

Note: Department gross square feet (DGSF) represents the "footprint" of a department or functional component and includes the net square feet (NSF) of the individual rooms as well as the space occupied by internal circulation corridors,
walls/partitions, and minor utility shafts; DGSF excludes common areas such as shared public corridors and lobbies, elevator banks, stairwells, major mechanical spaces, and the space occupied by the building's exterior wall.

Source: SpaceMed Guide.

2009.2.2

Copyright SpaceMed

www.spacemed.com

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