Designing Together: Why Non-Nursing Professionals Belong in NIHD.

Blog Contribution by Nick Mengucci, MSN, RN-BC, LSSGB, Senior Consultant at Blue Cottage of CannonDesign.

As a nurse working with Blue Cottage of CannonDesign and an active member of the Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design (NIHD), I have seen firsthand how interdisciplinary collaboration elevates healthcare environments. While nursing expertise grounds much of NIHD’s work, the organization thrives because of contributions from non-nursing professionals who bring fresh perspectives, specialized skills, and complementary expertise to the design process.

To explore this further, I spoke with Bridget Graham and Melanie Viquez of Yellow Brick Consulting, two non-nursing NIHD members who exemplify the value of diverse voices in healthcare design. They shared how NIHD has shaped their professional growth, what they have learned from collaborating with nurses, and why non-nursing professionals are vital to the organization’s mission.

Image: A Day in the Life simulation and Mock Patient Move with the Blue Cottage of CannonDesign Transition & Activation team.

Learning Through Collaboration

With over 16 years of experience in healthcare administration, operations, and transition planning, Bridget Graham has developed a deep understanding of how people, processes, and physical spaces intersect in healthcare. Her career spans healthcare administration, higher education, human resources, payer management, and even direct patient care as a mental health assistant and home health aide.

Bridget credits much of her professional development to working alongside nurses, providers, and care teams. That appreciation led her to join NIHD to continue learning from clinical leaders outside of project work. Through NIHD’s network, message boards, and webinars, she engages in discussions about how design and operational models influence patient and staff experiences.

As a member of NIHD’s Education Committee, Bridget helps develop content that strengthens understanding between clinical and non-clinical members. She believes building a shared language begins with curiosity and a willingness to learn how design, technology, and workflow impact patient outcomes.

Bridging Clinical Vision and Operational Practice

Melanie Viquez’s path to NIHD grew from her experience in healthcare operations and facility activation, where she saw how the built environment shapes care delivery. NIHD’s mission, blending clinical expertise with design excellence—aligned naturally with her passion for improving healthcare spaces through collaboration.

Through her involvement in NIHD committees, including the Technology Workgroup and Education Committee, Melanie has gained valuable insight into how nurses and clinicians use design and technology to support care. She translates those insights into practical strategies that make operational and design solutions more effective. By bridging clinical vision with implementation, she ensures projects are both sustainable and responsive to frontline needs.

The Value of Diverse Membership

Both Bridget and Melanie emphasize that NIHD’s strength lies in its diversity. The organization unites architects, engineers, technology experts, project managers, nurses, and administrators in one shared forum. For non-nursing professionals, it offers direct access to clinical expertise, opportunities to collaborate on committees, and exposure to real-world insights that inform design decisions.

Bridget notes that every conversation within NIHD broadens understanding, whether it’s discussing how nurse call systems affect workflow or how space design influences efficiency. Melanie adds that NIHD’s inclusive structure fosters shared language and alignment around a common purpose: improving patient and staff experience through thoughtful design.

A Shared Commitment

Bridget and Melanie’s involvement in NIHD underscores how non-nursing professionals play an essential role in healthcare design and transition planning. Their experiences reflect the power of collaboration, curiosity, and respect for the diverse expertise required to create healing environments.

Through NIHD, they continue to learn from clinical peers while contributing to their own operational and project management perspectives. Together, these interdisciplinary partnerships strengthen NIHD’s mission and demonstrate that the best healthcare spaces are designed not by one discipline, but by many working together.

NIHD collaborates with clinicians, design professionals and industry partners in the healthcare design process to shape the future of healthcare design.