Published: May 29, 2008 11:19 am            

Floyd Memorial Hospital opens new unit

It looks more like a hotel. Surrounded by a circular hallway and the most updated technology sits 32 spacious and private rooms with large windows, computers and flat-screen televisions.

It’s not what you would expect from a hospital corridor.

However, that is exactly what you will find on the fourth floor of Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services’ new wing, which houses the surgical inpatient unit. All patients who are admitted overnight following general surgery — excluding heart surgery patients — are kept in the unit.

The area sits above the heart and vascular wing at the hospital, which opened two years ago. The surgical unit began taking patients May 7.

“This is very spacious and all the rooms are private. It’s beautiful,” said Margaret Krawczyk, director of nursing at the hospital. “It’s a very healing and peaceful atmosphere.”

The inpatient surgery unit used to be housed in the old part of the hospital, and while efficient, did not offer the same amenities as the new wing. Patients had to share rooms and there was just one nurses’ station to handle up to 40 patients.

Not only does the new wing have all private rooms, but there are two nurses’ stations and a ratio of eight patients for every nurse and aide. Eight patient rooms also feature telemetry monitoring for those patients who require advanced care after surgery.

Registered Nurse Lea Ann Stirn, who is in charge of the surgical inpatient unit, said the private rooms with large windows and plenty of sunlight help patients recover.

“There have been a lot of studies done where quiet rooms with nice views lead to quicker healing,” Stirn said. “We have been waiting a long time for this.”

The third floor of the new wing is still empty, but the new surgical unit completes phase two of the remodeling.

Krawczyk — who has been with the hospital for 39 years — said having a computer in each room allows the nurse to chart the patient’s information without having to go to a central area. She said that leads to a better working environment and better efficiency.

“About five or 10 years ago, the hospital went to bedside charting for nurses, so I could see it coming,” Krawczyk said about the advanced technology. “It’s nice to come to work in an environment like this.”

The spacious hallways also allow for easy patient movement, Krawczyk said. One area of the circular floor is for patients who have had neurological or bariatric surgery.

“We take a lot of pride in our unit,” Stirn said.

        

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