Paediatric Physical Facilities Design Characteristics in Southwestern Nigerian University Teaching Hospital: Lesson from Netherland Children Hospital

This study appraised the influence of design characteristics of the paediatric hospital physical facilities with a view to develop the physical facilities design characteristics policies for paediatric hospital designers, managers and policy makers. In this study, the hospital physical facilities are defined by the spaces used by the professional staff, equipment, the building form, their furniture and fixtures. Also, the design characteristics of the hospital physical facilities are defined by the building proximity, privacy, wayfindings, flexibility and adaptability. The notable paediatric hospital selected in the developed country is Emma Kinderziekenhuis Pediatric Hospital in Amsterdam, Netherland because it has developed a remarkable work in the healthcare settings with a deep concern on child-centred design, which were informed, implemented and accompanied by architects. Also, Peadiatric department of University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan Nigeria was selected because it is the largest city in Nigeria which can be used to generalize what is obtained in peadiatric hospital physical facilities in southwestern Nigeria. Through analysis of one of the notable hospitals in both the developed and developing worlds, the design characteristics of selected hospital were examined using case study method such as the use of building plans, the site layout and the use of photograph among others. The results of the investigation show that hospital design characteristics have a great influence on both the patients and staff including the visitors. However, the planning and design characteristics of the physical facilities in the Netherland Children Hospital were found to be very good compared with its counterpart in Southwestern Nigerian University Teaching Hospital. It is, however, concluded that, the Nigerian University Teaching Hospitals should learn from the design characteristics appraised from the Netherland Children Hospital. The result of this study will be useful as a design policies standard for the Nigerian government, healthcare developers and children hospital designers in southwestern, Nigeria.