Step Down unit?

[JennyMominRI]

Has anyone been in a stepdown unit,or had a loved one in one? Ed may be there as soon as tomorrow and I am wondering what to expect..Technically it is the cardiothorasic stepdown unit.

 

[clarabelle]

Im not sure it is still the same. But it used to be a cross between the ICU and a regular room.
More nurses and everyone will have heart monitors that can be seen at the nurses desk. Pretty much like a regular hospital room.

 

[clarabelle]

I forgot to add -best wishes and all that. I am glad he is doing well enough to be moved.

 

[VirtuallyMe]

Usually it is a little more high tech care than a regular room but less than ICU

So more private but still all the bells and whistles.

 

[kidzmom3]

We call it the progressive care unit at my hospital. It looks like a regular floor but all the nurses are cardiac certified, and the floor is wired for remote access to cardiac monitors. All of the patients have leads "little button type stickies", placed where an ekg lead would be. If allowed by their doctor they can walk around of the floor because we have wireless conection to the monitors. The monitors are in the patient rooms, but also the nurses station. Nurses monitor the rhythms and other patient vital signs. If they are out of whack the monitors will alarm and the nurses would all run down to the patient. It is usually for patients coming off of ICU , also if they are ruling out an MI (heart attack), some recovery from some surgeries.

 

[JennyMominRI]

We call it the progressive care unit at my hospital. It looks like a regular floor but all the nurses are cardiac certified, and the floor is wired for remote access to cardiac monitors. All of the patients have leads "little button type stickies", placed where an ekg lead would be. If allowed by their doctor they can walk around of the floor because we have wireless conection to the monitors. The monitors are in the patient rooms, but also the nurses station. Nurses monitor the rhythms and other patient vital signs. If they are out of whack the monitors will alarm and the nurses would all run down to the patient. It is usually for patients coming off of ICU , also if they are ruling out an MI (heart attack), some recovery from some surgeries.

Thanks..My SO is recovering from an emergency open heart surgery to correct an Aortic Dissection.

 

[JoyG]

It's great to hear that Ed is getting better!

My son was in the step down unit after the PICU.

I remember I didn't get kicked out of the step down unit as often as I did for ICU.

I remember it was slightly more private...we were still in a large room with lots of beds, but ds's bed was in a corner so there was a little more privacy.

ETA: I also remember I could have more stuff in the step down unit. I got him a buzz lightyear bubble blower and he was able to turn it on in step down but not in ICU...Ya think Ed would like a bubble blower to entertain him?

 

[JennyMominRI]

...Ya think Ed would like a bubble blower to entertain him?

Yeah..he would probably like that

 

[Fitswimmer]

That's great news, Jenny. He's on his way!!

 

[m&m's mom]

I think at the hospital my DH was at it was called Telemetry. It looked like a completely normal hospital room. I think he may have had some monitoring equipment on him but he was free to walk around and get more mobile in a safe environment.

 

[Disneydreaming6]

My dfil was on the step down unit (4th) at rhode island hospital. It was a private room, he was asigned 1 nurse per shift, the nurses station was right outiside his room, they could watch his machines from there. They say 2 family members are allowed in at a time, but as long as we were quiet they let a few in at a time. There was a waiting room right when you came off the elevator, the actual "unit" is behind closed doors.
I have read about your Ed, I hope he recovers very quickly.

 

[JennyMominRI]

My dfil was on the step down unit (4th) at rhode island hospital. It was a private room, he was asigned 1 nurse per shift, the nurses station was right outiside his room, they could watch his machines from there. They say 2 family members are allowed in at a time, but as long as we were quiet they let a few in at a time. There was a waiting room right when you came off the elevator, the actual "unit" is behind closed doors.
I have read about your Ed, I hope he recovers very quickly.

This is the stepdown unit he will be in..He's on the 4th floor

 

[tar heel]

The nurses will have more patients, which can be an adjustment after having a nurse to yourself or shared with just one patient in the ICU. My Mom and I learned to be squeaky wheels when we thought my Dad neeed something.

The best thing about it is that it's a sign he's getting better and needs less care!