Space shall be provided within the NICU to meet the professional, personal, and administrative needs of the staff. Rooms shall be sized and located to provide privacy and to satisfy their intended function. Locker, lounge, private toilet facilities and on-call rooms are required at a minimum.

Interpretation: Support elements can be defined as those that facilitate the provision of infant care and the well being of the staff; they may account for at least one third of the floor space of the entire unit.

Staffing areas are defined as space limited to use by staff members to meet personal, professional, and administrative needs. These areas include lockers, lounges, counseling, education and conference space, and on-call rooms that provide privacy and satisfy their intended function.