Visiting Guidelines

To download our ICU brochure, click here.

Our award-winning Intensive Care Unit provides care for adult patients with cardiovascular, neurological, medical and surgical conditions.  Family and loved ones are important for a patient's recovery. We strive to make you a part of the healing process while providing our patients necessary time to rest.

To provide a balance between family contact and rest time, we have developed the following guidelines we ask you to follow:

• Only two (2) visitors are allowed in the patient care unit at one time.
• No children under the age of 14 in the ICU.
• No food or drink is allowed in the patient care area.
• Do not use cell phones in the rooms as they can affect the equipment.
• Please keep a quiet environment. Do not wake patients; rest is an important part of healing.

If it is necessary to provide care to the patient during visiting hours, you will be asked to leave to protect your loved one's privacy and dignity.

We will do our best to make sure you may visit with your loved one as his or her condition allows during visiting hours.

When entering the unit, please check at the nurses' desk before entering the patient's room.

Expectations

When you are visiting in the ICU, you may see equipment - including monitors, pumps, tubing, etc. used to help patients recover. Please don't touch equipment unless instructed to by the caregivers.  You may wish to visit these webpages to learn about some of this equipment: http://www.icu-usa.com/

Another helpful website is: http://www.myicucare.org/sccm/MyICUCare/  Here you will find a glossary of medical terms, brochures, and Q/A.

Alarms and bells may occasionally sound. Generally, these alert staff to normal changes in the patient or equipment. Please don't panic as the staff will respond to take care of the patient's needs.

Our primary goal in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)is to provide the best care possible to your loved one.

Those caring for your family or friend include: Physicians, Nurses, Respiratory therapists, Other support personnel

Each caregiver has been specially trained and is skilled in providing care to those in the unit.

The ICU can be overwhelming and frightening with its monitors, ventilators and tubes. Please rest assured that those providing patient care are working to help your loved one heal.