ICU bedside environment. A nursing perspective.

The physical design of most ICUs is a source of inadvertent and undesirable stress for patients, family, and staff. The importance of developing a healing environment will have a great impact on the ICU bedside environment of the future. Using the research on the effects of noise, light, and other environmental stressors on patient outcomes, the ICU bedside environments of the future will combine the "high tech" and "high touch" components of care in one setting. The patients and the care providers will benefit from this focus on the humane, healing environment.