St. Mary Medical Center Foundation

ICU Preview Opening

Donors and Board members share a preview inside the new ICU  

Twenty five donors and board members joined Audrey Jadczak and members of the Intensive Care Unit nursing staff to preview the new 20-bed Neuro and Trauma Intensive Care Unit on Wednesday, August 10th. A multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, nursing aids, and access clerks with unique insight into best practices for patient care devoted two and a half years to its planning and design.  The unit features larger patient rooms to give the staff more room to work bedside, move patients in and out of bed safely, and give family members the privacy they need to spend time with their loved ones during a healthcare crisis.

Each new room has a private bathroom and an area for families to stay overnight.  The unit also has a separate dedicated overnight family room and a private consultation room.  Many additional safety features have been incorporated into the new design.  Nine of the 20 rooms feature patient lifts, which allow staff to reposition and move patients more easily, reducing the risk of injury to both patients and staff.   The beds also focus on the safety and comfort for our most critically ill patients.  The beds can give directives and ask questions in 22 different languages allowing our staff to communicate to patients who might not speak English.  The questions are designed with a yes or no answer making it easy for patients and staff to communicate clearly.  The bed also consistently vibrates to help prevent pressure sores and the bed is programmed to play many different types of music to help comfort the patient during treatment.

 “The best technology comes in the form of the highly qualified staff we have caring for our patients.” said Chief Nursing Officer Audrey Jadczak.  Incorporate that with the advances in system technology, design, and facilities, and St. Mary has become the most advanced Neuro Trama ICU in the area.