[jamie]

I am currently employed in an ICU that has 8 ICU beds and 3 PCU beds. Our unit is going to be renovated next year to include 7 new beds for a total of 18 beds. Our staff has been asked to recommend any suggestions that we feel would enhance the new unit. The problem is that most of us have never worked or have been in contact with other ICU units, so this limits our input on new inovative styles.
We have made suggestions of more space and of a more "nurse friendly storage unit", but we need input from other units as to what changes will be useful and helpful. Our unit is located in a rural county hospital that has a total of 140 beds. We are the only critical care unit, which means we handle the following type of cases: Respitory (ventilators), MI's , CVA's, Surgical and any other cases that the physician's feel are to sick to be on a medical floor.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Make sure you tell them to hire more nurses or you're going to be stuck with the same amt of staff and too much of a patient load.

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jen622

[J Hannah]

More staff is a logical given point. You are fortunate you are being asked to give input. Check in your area or state for facilities with good reputations in their critical care units and travel out and take a look. Ask questions. What do they like about their units, what could be improved upon. No better way to do this than collect data. Take the best from each unit visited and build it into your new unit, and learn from the mistakes others made. The best single suggestion I have is build it in such a way that when your censes is down, beds can be closed, but the remaining beds are localized for easier staffing. Have fun with what your facility is doing, it sounds like an exciting time for all of you. Regards: J Hannah

[saeed]

first of all it's very nice from theme to take your opnion in this matter
i would like to hilight some weak points in my unit
1) it's very congested place there is no enough store,
2) no changing rooms
3) no fire exit
4) no outlet ventilation(means no exit for the bad smelling)
5) we have problems with vistors becouse of the doors and construction
6) no place to keep some books
7) no patients toilets
8) no facilites in isolation room
9) all rooms are very small
10) beteen every bed only curtten
11) there is no connection with A&E DEPARTMENT
12) no computer service to know investigations reports & previous admissions to the same patients in icu
13) in case of escorts we have to take everything from the unit even O2 cylinders

[janicurn]

Congratulations on being allowed your input- although I have found this to be just a pacifier so that when you don't like it later- they can say "You helped pick it!" But anyway- all improtant is a good power column that sits out from the wall and enough space to walk behind. Ours has baskets and shelves that can be placed anywhere. We keep suction supplies and ambus on the back or ours (you can reach from sides) and it hold numerous suction outlets qand O2 outlets on front. It also has back lighting and contains the call system and STAT button.