University of Maryland Medical Center completes state

[dadstimeon]

-of-the-art units

http://www.btimes.com/News/article/arti ... 8644&sID=4

by Nakia Herring

Baltimore Times

Originally posted 4/21/2006

On April 6, 2006, the University of Maryland Medical Center opened the top three floors of its Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Building, with state-of-the-art units designed to meet the demands for critical care in the region and provide post surgical care that enhances the recovery of patients.

“We created these new units to meet the needs and expectations of our patients for comfort and privacy while, at the same time, incorporating advanced technology in the rooms and at the nursing stations to ensure the best possible care,” says Katherine McCullough, senior vice president and chief nursing officer at the University of

Maryland Medical Center.

“Careful thought went into the flow of patient and visitor traffic and the location of equipment and supplies in each unit. All of the patient rooms have comfortable seating for visitors and plenty of natural light from large windows,” adds

McCullough.

The new units are: A 29-bed Medical Intensive Care/Intermediate Care Unit, which will double the hospital's capacity to care for critically ill patients, many of whom transfer to the University of Maryland Medical Center from other hospitals. The unit, which has already begun to accept patients, features special air filtration equipment, 20 isolation rooms and decentralized nurse work stations between every two rooms, placing nurses just a few feet from each patient's bedside.

A 30-bed Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit and Telemetry Unit on Weinberg 6, which will open in May. Patients on this unit will be recovering from the full range of heart operations, including bypass, valve repairs, heart transplants and heart pump implantations. To help patients regain their strength and mobility, the unit has a cardiac rehabilitation gym and other features.

A 32-bed Surgical Acute Care Unit for patients recovering from a variety of surgical procedures, including operations for cancer, lung disease, urological problems, ear, nose and throat disorders, as well as bariatric (weight reduction) surgery. Specialized nurses, pharmacists and other staff on the unit are part of the patient care team. The unit opens in June.

“The opening of these spacious new units represents a milestone in our plans to upgrade patient care facilities and expand our capacity to treat more critically ill patients,” says Jeffrey A.Rivest, President and CEO of the University of Maryland Medical Center.

“Our physicians, nurses and other staff played a major role in the design of the new units. All members of the health care team were involved in the planning and we appreciate their input to help us create the best possible environment for patient care,” continued Rivest.

A total of four new units will open, marking the completion of the seven-story Weinberg building, which first opened in phases in 2003.

The University of Maryland Medical Center is located at 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. For more information on the new units call 410-328-8919.