New Surgical Inpatient Unit Now Open

New arrivals are escorted to their private room complete with a 32" flat screen with Direct TV®, Internet access and a sofa/sleeper for guests. Hospital or Hotel? It's a hospital, and the patient-comfort and high-tech features now available in Silver Cross Hospital's new 35-bed patient care unit is dramatically changing the recovery for area surgical patients.

Orthopedic, neurosurgical, bariatric, gynecological and other surgical patients stay in a 250-square-foot private room, which is significantly larger than typical hospital room. Patients can control everything in the room from their bed including the television system, nurse call button, temperature and room lighting. There is soft lighting for when patients want to rest and bright lighting for when the doctor wants to do an exam. Each room has a private bathroom with a walk-in shower and is decorated with soothing colors. Medical support equipment to monitor cardiac signs, oxygen levels, and blood pressure are neatly hidden in custom wooden cabinetry.

So staff can spend more time with the patient, all rooms have a work area for nursing staff that includes a wireless mobile computer system and a dedicated sink for hand washing. The nursing and physician staff use portable digital assistants (PDAs) allowing for immediate access to patient information and can easily retrieve diagnostic images in the room for discussion with the patient and family members.

We've not only designed the rooms with caregivers and patients in mind, but also for visitors and family members. "We're finding that more family members want to stay the night," Linda Faletti, R.N., Director of the New Unit explained. "So each room has a comfortable fold-out sofa/sleeper, so a patient's loved one can stay overnight if necessary or desired."

"We've also heard from some of our patients that the increased noise at the nurses' station around shift change is a concern," said Faletti. "So we've designed the nurses' stations to contain and diffuse the noise to create a quieter environment.

As patient safety advocates, Silver Cross also designed lighting close to the floor so patients can judge distance and location when getting up in the night.

"This project is just one of the many ways that we are building a better Silver Cross Experience for our patients and visitors," said Gricus.

For a referral to a surgeon on staff at Silver Cross who admits patients to this new unit, call our 24 hour Physician Referral Service at 1-888-660-HEAL (4325).