Critical Care Waiting Room
Welcome to the WakeMed Critical Care Family Waiting Room. The following guidelines have been developed to provide a safe and comfortable environment for you and others to wait while family members are in our Critical Care Units. It is our belief from many years of caring for critically ill patients and their families, that these guidelines best serve all visitors in the Critical Care setting. Meeting the needs of family members and visitors is an integral part of the mission of WakeMed.
While You Wait
We recognize that families play a key role in the recovery process of the patient. We also recognize that the nature of the issues which create the need for families to spend time in the Critical Care Waiting Room (CCWR) are stressful, and that the waiting environment should be as quite and comfortable as possible. Our Waiting Room has 24-hour reception coverage.
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Children in the Family Waiting Room
Space in the CCWR is very limited, and the room is often filled to capacity. The area is not intended to accommodate the movements and behavior of active children, but instead is designed for adults waiting for visits with or information about patients in critical care.
All children under the age of 12 who will be in the WakeMed facility for more than 15 minutes are to wait with an adult in the Main/Visitor Lobby on the first floor. The CCWR staff can communicate with the family via the receptionist in the Main Lobby. The family will not be out of touch regarding visiting, messages and physician/nurse communications.
Children under the age of 12 who are waiting to visit in the Critical Care Units should arrive in the CCWR no more than 15 minutes prior to the visitation. When in the CCWR, children shall be accompanied by an adult at all times. No child should be left unattended. WakeMed volunteers and staff cannot be responsible for attending to children in the CCWR.
If a child becomes restless and begins moving about the waiting room or becomes noisy, it will be the responsibility of the attending adult to take the child to a more appropriate waiting area such as the Main Lobby. The receptionist is authorized to make the request should it become necessary. Telephone communication between the CCWR and the Lobby is routine. Contact by the volunteer or employee receptionist in the CCWR can be made with any family waiting in the lobby regarding visiting hours, messages, physician visits, etc. Regardless of age, any child whose behavior is disruptive will be asked to wait in the Main Lobby.
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About WakeMed’s Critical Care Units
· Neuro Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
· Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CCU)
· Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU)
· Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU)
· Cardiothoracic Surgical Unit (CTSU)
Neuro Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
The NICU is a dynamic and progressive unit, which cares for critically ill neurosurgical, neurotrauma and neurologically impaired patients. The NICU’s objectives are to provide the latest technology, evidenced based medicine and advanced skills in order to return the patient to the optimal level of functioning as well as to support the emotional, social and spiritual needs of patients and their loved ones.
The nursing staff is experienced in advanced cerebral hemodynamic assessment and monitoring such as intracranial pressure and brain oxygen monitoring, ventricular drainage, and transcranial Doppler sonography. The staff is trained to care for patients requiring very specialized procedures and treatments such as intracranial drainage, induced pentobarbital coma and cervical tong placement. Staff in the NICU undergo an extensive and complex competency based orientation as well as ongoing education and training for this specialized unit.
Patients in the NICU include those having a craniotomy, traumatic brain injury, hemorrhagic stroke including subarachnoid or intracerebral hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, extracranial/intracranial bypass, acute spinal cord injury, seizures or status epilepticus, tumors of the brain or spine, and patients requiring neuro-endovascular procedures.
The NICU staff includes a nurse manager, supervisor/clinical educators, registered nursing staff, a medical director who is a licensed neurosurgeon, and unit secretaries. The nurse/patient ratio is 1:1 or 1:2 based on patient acuity. The staff works collaboratively with physicians, respiratory therapy, rehab therapies, case management, pharmacists, chaplain services, as well as other disciplines to meet the needs of both patients and their loved ones.
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Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CCU)
The CCU at WakeMed is dedicated to providing expert care to those patients who have serious cardiac problems. Frequently patients in CCU have suffered a major heart attack and require intensive coronary care. Nurses specialized in the treatment of cardiac conditions staff the unit supported by the technological expertise associated with the WakeMed Heart Center. The goal of the CCU staff is to restore patients to optimal cardiac function.
The staff works closely with Healthworks at WakeMed to incorporate cardiac rehab into the patient’s care when appropriate.
Admitting diagnoses include, but are not limited to, cardiopulmonary arrest, pulmonary edema, acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), unstable angina (chest pain), congestive heart failure, and post-invasive procedures, among others. Some patients may be admitted for the following procedures: angioplasty (PTCA), cardiac catheterization, placement of intracoronary stents, permanent pacemaker placement, and therapy including intra-aortic balloon pumps.
The CCU staff consists of a nurse manager, supervisor/clinical educator, medical director (a board certified Cardiologist), registered nursing staff, unit secretaries, and certified nursing assistants.
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Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU)
The SICU is a unit specializing in the acute care of adult patients who have experienced multiple traumatic injuries or have undergone major surgical procedures. The purpose of the SICU is to provide the latest technologically advanced skills in order to begin the process of returning the patient to the optimal level of functioning.
In the SICU, staff are able to provide immediate nursing care, medical or surgical treatment, constant monitoring and close observation. Nurses in the SICU have received special education in caring for critically ill patients. Most of the nurse’s time is spent at the bedside monitoring the patient and administering care. Each nurse is assigned to one or two patients. Each patient has an individualized plan of care developed by the medical and nursing staff.
The nursing staff work collaboratively with physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, respiratory therapy, case managers and chaplains in order to meet the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of patients and their families.
The SICU staff include a nurse manager, supervisor/clinical educators, registered nurses, unit secretaries, certified nursing assistants and a medical director who is a certified intensivist specializing in trauma and general surgery.
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Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU)
The MICU is a unit designated to care for patients with acute and chronic illness. The goal of the MICU is to provide quality care to patients with a variety of illnesses. In the MICU, patients are treated for diagnoses including, lung diseases, infections, kidney and liver disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal complications and overdoses. MICU also accommodates patients with other diagnoses such as surgical conditions, acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), and neurological conditions (stroke).
The MICU staff includes a nurse manager, supervisor/clinical educators, registered nursing staff, a physician medical director, unit secretaries, and certified nursing assistants. The nurse/patient ration is 1:1 or 1:2 based on patient needs. In a non-critical unit the ratio is typically one nurse to five or six patients.
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Cardiothoracic Surgical Unit (CTSU)
The CTSU is a unit designated to provide post-operative care for patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass graft(s) (CABG), sometimes referred to as Open Heart Surgery. Other patients have undergone repair or replacement of heart valves, repair of aortic dissection, repair of abdominal or thoracic aneurysm, thoractomies and lobectomies of the lungs. All of the CABG and valve patients go directly from the operating room to CTSU for their recovery. Patients with other type surgeries usually complete their immediate recovery in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) and are then admitted to CTSU.
While in CTSU, patients may receive mechanical ventilator support during their recovery to help them breathe, have special cardiac monitoring catheters, chest tubes, and temporary cardiac pacing wires. In some cases, patients may require the assistance of an intra-aortic balloon pumping device or a ventricular assist device. All of these devices are used to help assist the heart during recovery.
The staff members work directly with the cardiovascular surgeons to deliver quality care involving continuous bedside monitoring and observation of patients. The nurse/patient ratio is 1:1 or 1:2 based on the patient needs. The CTSU staff includes a nurse manager, supervisor/educators, registered nursing staff, unit secretaries, and a board certified cardiothoracic surgeon as medical director. All staff are required to successfully complete a very complex training period for the highly specialized unit.
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Large Visitor Groups
Tragic events often bring large groups of well meaning friends, church members and families to the CCWR. Due to the physical limitations of the room, and the disruption to others who are waiting, we cannot always accommodate these groups. The receptionist may request that only the immediate family remain, and all others wait in the main lobby on the first floor.
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Food & Beverages in the Critical Care Waiting Room
The CCWR is not intended to be an area for eating meals delivered by friends and supporters, or brought into the area by the families themselves. The resulting soiling and debris creates cleanliness and maintenance problems that impact all families currently waiting, and those who wait in the future.
Each family/visitor should arrange to eat in the hospital cafeteria, Café 3000, on the first floor. Meals can be purchased there. Food brought to the waiting families by well-meaning friends can be taken to the cafeteria to be eaten where disposal of food products is more appropriate. Dining facilities are available from 6:30 am to 8 pm and 12 am to 4 am.
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Visiting Hours
Each Critical Care Unit has designated visiting times and restrictions that have been put in place to provide optimum patient care. The caregivers recognize the important role families have in the recovery process of the patient. Every effort is made to provide an initial visit once the patient is in the Critical Care Unit. Otherwise, it is expected that visitors abide by the policies and only enter the Units as authorized. Entering the Units at other times interrupts patient care. Receptionists cannot accept restricted authorization requests for visitors to the Units. Those issues must be resolved among family members.
The period of time that visitors may see a patient varies on each unit and depends upon the patient’s condition. Typically, four visitors may visit a patient during a visiting period, but only two may go into the Intensive Care Unit at the same time.
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Children may visit in the Intensive Care Units with the approval of the patient’s nurse or physician.
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The patient’s personal minister or other clergy designated by the patient or family may visit any time during the day with the approval of the patient’s nurse and confirmation by the Critical Care Waiting Room receptionist.
NICU – Neuro Intensive Care Unit
9:30 am
11:30 am
1:30 pm
6:00 pm
9:00 pm
12:30 pm
CCU – Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
9:30 to 11 am
1 to 3 pm
5 to 6 pm
9 to 10 pm
SICU – Surgical Intensive Care Unit
Flexible hours from:
9:30 am to 6:30 pm; 8:30 to 11 pm
MICU – Medical Intensive Care Unit
9 to 10 am
1 to 3 pm
5 to 6 pm
9 to 10 pm
12:30 am
CTSU – Cardiothoracic Surgical Unit
8:30 am
10:30 am
1:30 pm
4:30 pm
7:30 pm
9:30 pm
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Pagers
One temporary pager is available to each family waiting in the Critical Care Waiting Room. These pagers can be used to contact you regarding your loved one’s condition and will work only on the WakeMed campus. To sign out a pager, please check with the receptionist in the Critical Care Waiting Room. All pagers must be returned by 9:30 pm for recharging.
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Telephone Calls
There are phone lines to serve the many visitors waiting in the CCWR. Please limit your phone calls to five minutes.
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Calls to the Units
Due to patient confidentiality regulations, no patient information can be given by phone. Please do not ask the receptionist to call for information. A member of the Medical or Nursing staff will inform you personally of any news.
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Spiritual Care
Chaplains are available at your request 24 hours a day. The Chaplain’s office can be reached at extension 8556. The Chapel is located on the third floor and is open 24 hours a day. You are welcome to use it at any time for prayer or meditation.
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Overnight Accommodations
The CCWR is not designed for visitors to spend the night. We recommend that visitors return home or make plans for other accommodations outside the hospital. The receptionist can provide a listing of local hotels or the local yellow pages can be reviewed. The telephone number of your overnight location will be given to the patient’s nurse and the CCWR receptionist. The nursing staff will call you if the need arises for you to return to the hospital. We do recognize there may be critical situations that require families to remain close to their patient. In the event you decide to stay, Raleigh City Fire Codes prohibit any type of sleeping materials to be brought into the CCWR. This includes pillows, blankets, sleeping bags or mattresses of any kind. Chairs should not be pulled together. Lying on the floor is a hazard and is not permissible.
Lodging for cardiac patients and their families is available in the Heart Center Inn at WakeMed. The Inn is located on the third floor of the Heart Center and operates just like a hotel, with special resources and services related to cardiac care.
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Other Safety Precautions
Fire Codes also prohibit any electrical items such as radios/CD players in this area. Headsets should not be worn so that visitors can remain alert to any alarms or emergencies that arise in the hospital.
Public Safety can be reach at extension 8171.
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Questions
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Lisa Forte, manager, Communications Center at extension 7680, or Rosie Pacheco, supervisor, Communications Center at extension 7009.
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