Medical decision Unit or Chest Pain observation

Nurses Safety

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Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

I have recently taken a job in a new unit in the hospital The people in er call it a medical decision unit but the offical title is going to be Chest Pain Observation unit. It hasn't opened yet but do any of you guys know about this sort of unit? How do they work? If you work in one how do you like it?

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Education.

Our ED is a recognized "Chest Pain Center" but the area is housed within the ED. Patients are placed there after the ED evaluation if their EKG/enzymes are relatively normal but their story is 'good' for some type of acute coronary syndrome. They stay several hours (often overnight) and get serial (every 6 hr) EKGs/enzymes done to monitor for changes, etc. Sometimes, depending on time of day & patient/doctor preferences, they will even have a stress test during their stay. Then they are either discharged home or admitted upstairs. I'm sure there are many types of these areas across the country & you'll get a variety of responses!

By the way...old Presby OKC nurse here...What hospital? :)

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Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

St. Anthony, The unit is going to be on the 4th floor and at the opposite end of the hospital The Ed doctoors will write the orders

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I have recently taken a job in a new unit in the hospital The people in er call it a medical decision unit but the offical title is going to be Chest Pain Observation unit. It hasn't opened yet but do any of you guys know about this sort of unit? How do they work? If you work in one how do you like it?

I work in a 15 bed chest pain observation unit. Primary purpose is for acute chest pain to have serial cardiac enzymes, ekg's and myoview to rule out or rule in MI. Abnormal myoview or or positive troponins means patient to have cardiac cath. The stay on our unit after cath. IF a CABG is needed then they transfer to a new unit postop cabg. THese types of pateints are either really stable or REALLY UNSTABLE, you have to stay prepared for anything. Cardiac drips is always a possibility. That is the primary purpose of my unit, BUT as anyone knows when there are no telemetry beds (often the case in my hospital) we get the overflow............ and when no medical beds....we get the overflow) I live in NC and my staffing ratio is 5-6:1 with 1 NA for 15 patients. I like the unit I am on, I have been there for almost a year. My other unit, (at the same hospital) was a 44 bed med surg telemetry unit with ratio of 7-8:1 with our NA having 12-15 patients each.

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Specializes in LDRP.

my ed has/is an accredited chest pain center. THough my floor gets many chest pain patients. enzymes, ekg, cardiolyte, maybe even a cath.

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