The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Capital Region Medical Center strives to provide patient- and family-centered care with a focus on:
- Developing mutually beneficial partnerships among healthcare providers, patients and families.
- Recognizing the vital role that family members of all ages play in ensuring the health and well-being of patients.
- Acknowledging that emotional, social and developmental support is an integral component of healthcare.
The ICU is designed to provide ongoing, specialized care by trained personnel. Patients are admitted to the ICU because of monitoring and support offered only in a critical care unit. It is our goal to have our nurses available to address patient care needs above the needs of others. The ICU guidelines below are provided to enable our nurses to achieve this goal. We request that all visitors abide by these guidelines.
If you have questions or concerns about the patient, do not hesitate to express them to the physician or the intensive care nurses. Or if you have special questions or concerns about the care your loved one is receiving in the ICU, please contact the manager at 573.632.5350.
ICU guidelines
Various monitors and equipment may be used to care for patients. Most often the alarms you hear are merely signals that assist the intensive care nurses in delivering care. Please do not try to adjust the equipment yourself.
Having a loved one in the ICU can be a difficult and stressful time. It is important for you to take care of yourself by eating meals and getting rest. Therefore, we encourage you to return home for the night, and if you should need assistance with lodging while your loved one is a patient, please contact the patient representative at 573.632.5204 or the house supervisor at 573.632.5203.
A chaplain is available 24 hours a day for emergency needs. To contact the chaplain, call 573.632.5035. The prayer room is located on the second floor. Social work staff counsels patients and their families in regard to financial and emotional assistance. Notify the ICU nurses if you wish to speak to someone from either of these services.
Due to limited space, we ask that a minimal amount of belongings be brought into the ICU. Cards, balloons and notes are welcome gifts for ICU patients. To reduce the risk of infection, please do not send or bring flowers or food. Please consider this when remembering your friend or relative.
In order for the ICU staff to maintain communication with those concerned and provide the best possible care, we do require that a spokesperson be designated. This person will be responsible for keeping other loved ones updated on the patient's condition. Please ask the designated spokesperson any questions you have regarding a patient condition.
Visitors are asked not to use cellphones in the ICU area. Two phones are provided in the ICU waiting room for your use.
To call the ICU waiting room directly, dial 573.632.5349 or 573.632.5352.
- The ICU is open to visitation at all times.
- Individual patient visitation, as well as the degree of family involvement, is determined by the patient, provided that he or she is competent to make decisions regarding care.
- If the patient is incapacitated, the patient's designated representative may define preferred visitation on behalf of the patient.
- Based on assessment of the patient's emotional and physical needs, members of the multidisciplinary care team may request limited visitation at times.
Courteous visitation with patients includes:
- Allowing adequate patient rest.
- Maintaining conversations and noise levels at low volumes.
- Closely monitoring children under the age of 12.
- Placing cellphones on silent.
- Providing privacy during certain assessments, tests or procedures.
- Refraining from conducting photography or recordings without the patient's permission.