Neuro Integrated Care Unit vs Intensive Care Unit

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

I posted this on the Neurological Nursing forum, but haven't gotten any responses there.

How common is it to see a neuro integrated care unit vs an intensive care unit? Is that a relatively new way of organizing a neuro unit or has this been going on for a while? I have an interview in a neuro icu and assumed it was the "intensive" i but it's an integrated care unit, which I'd never heard of before but sounds really interesting.

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

I haven't heard of a an integrated care unit. Would this be the equivalent of a step-down unit? Neuro patients who aren't quite sick enough for ICU but not stable enough for the floor?

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

I haven't heard of a an integrated care unit. Would this be the equivalent of a step-down unit? Neuro patients who aren't quite sick enough for ICU but not stable enough for the floor?

Nope- it combines ICU, step down, and acute care on one unit for neuro patients, so that a neuro patient could progress through hospitalization in one room with the same nursing staff. So the nurse-patient ratio varies quite a bit based on the wide acuity ranges of the patient, and all rooms have the set up to do ICU monitoring.

This is a different hospital than the one I'm interviewing at but it seems like the same set up: Neuro Integrated Care Unit

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

Wow, that is interesting! Seems like patients can definitely benefit from staying in the same room with the same staff who is familiar with their entire hospital course. Good luck with the interviewing! :)

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

Thanks! I'm really excited about the opportunity.

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

Sounds very similar to the unit I worked on as a student nurse, back when Methuselah was young... Although we had acute neuro patients, the ones needing life support went to ICU, so ours was more a High Care unit. And yes, it was a very good arrangement from the point of view of both patients and staff.

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

Sounds very similar to the unit I worked on as a student nurse, back when Methuselah was young... Although we had acute neuro patients, the ones needing life support went to ICU, so ours was more a High Care unit. And yes, it was a very good arrangement from the point of view of both patients and staff.

Did you see more medical patients or more trauma patients?

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

Well, it really was a mix, we even had a young cancer sufferer in for observations both pre and post op, as well as CVA patients. I would say more trauma though.

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

That sounds like a really interesting unit to work for. I'm even more excited now about my interview :)

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

If it's anything like the one in the link, then I really wish you the best of luck!! :)

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

Thanks! We get a tour of the floor as part of the interview, so I'm sure they'll go in to detail on the unit set up.

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

I worked Neuro ICU back in the day. I prefer unresponsive neuro patients to be honest and wouldn't like that set up. Step down level neuro pts are VERY difficult to take care of IME and besides pregnant women and drunks, my absolute least favorite. Be sure you like all levels of neuro patients before committing.