Hospital Room Names: Understanding The Lingo

Hospital rooms are referred to by many different names depending on the type of care they provide. For instance, the emergency room (ER) is where you are first seen after a sudden illness or injury. The coronary/cardiac care unit (CCU) is a specialized intensive care unit for cardiac issues. Intensive care units (ICUs) are where the sickest patients are cared for by critical care nurses. A surgical intensive care unit (SICU) is where patients receive care if they are critically ill and in need of surgery or recovering from it.

Emergency Room (ER)

An emergency room, also known as an ER, is a hospital facility that provides 24/7 emergency care for patients with severe illnesses or injuries. The emergency room at Bailey Medical Center in Owasso, Oklahoma, for example, is equipped with advanced technology like i-STAT testing, CT scans, and other diagnostic imaging tools. It also has a team of skilled physicians and nurses trained in emergency medicine, advanced cardiac life support, and pediatric advanced life support.

When a patient arrives at the ER, they undergo a triage process, where a nurse assesses their condition and categorizes them based on severity. This triage system prioritizes patients with immediately life-threatening conditions, followed by those with urgent but non-life-threatening issues, and finally, less urgent cases. After triage, a patient's vital signs are checked, and an emergency medicine physician conducts a thorough evaluation of their condition.

The Ascension St. John Owasso Emergency Room in Oklahoma also operates a Level IV Trauma Center, offering round-the-clock emergency care. Their ER treats life-threatening emergencies, including acute stroke, shortness of breath, chest pain, open fractures, severe bleeding, head injuries, major trauma, and neurologic changes such as weakness, difficulty speaking, or loss of consciousness.

ERs are designed to handle a wide range of medical conditions, injuries, and illnesses. They provide expert emergency care for heart attacks, strokes, traumatic injuries, and other critical situations. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these emergency symptoms, it is crucial to call 911 or go directly to the nearest emergency room for immediate medical attention.

Coronary/Cardiac Care Unit (CCU)

A Coronary/Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) is a specialised hospital facility dedicated to the care of patients with acute to serious cardiac conditions. CCUs are typically subsets of intensive care units (ICU) and are equipped with advanced medical equipment for continuous monitoring and treatment of cardiac patients.

CCUs were developed in the 1960s when it became evident that intensive care, close monitoring, and specialised medical procedures could significantly reduce mortality rates from cardiovascular complications. The first description of a CCU was given in 1961 by Desmond Julian, who subsequently founded the first CCU at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in 1964.

CCUs are designed to treat and manage unique problems associated with heart patients, often those requiring cardiac telemetry. Nurses, technicians, and other medical providers in the CCU undergo specialised training to care for patients with serious cardiac issues. These units have a higher staff-to-patient ratio than typical hospital units to ensure round-the-clock care.

CCUs employ various supportive modalities, including mechanical ventilation and intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABP). Invasive monitoring techniques, such as pulmonary artery catheters, are also commonly used in CCUs. Patients in CCUs are often connected to wires and tubes as part of their treatment and monitoring.

After patients are discharged from the CCU, they typically move to a "`step-down'" unit to continue their recovery and regain their strength. Lifestyle changes, including dietary modifications, are usually recommended to prevent readmission to the CCU. Visitors to the CCU are generally limited to immediate family members during designated visiting hours, and gifts like outside food and plants are often prohibited due to dietary restrictions and infection control.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)

A Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is a unit within a hospital that provides the highest level of care to critically ill infants, children, and teenagers. PICUs are usually directed by one or more pediatric intensivists and staffed by doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists who are specially trained and experienced in pediatric intensive care. The unit may also have nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physiotherapists, social workers, child life specialists, and clerks on staff, depending on the geographic location.

The PICU provides a level of care that is generally not available in other areas of the hospital, with intensive nursing care and close monitoring of vital signs such as heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. The PICU also allows medical staff to provide therapies that might not be available elsewhere in the hospital, including ventilators (breathing machines) and medications that require close medical supervision. The PICU team includes residents (doctors who have completed medical school and are training to become pediatricians) and fellows (pediatricians undergoing further training to become pediatric intensivists). Other specialists, such as cardiologists, neurologists, and pulmonologists, may also be involved in a child's care, depending on their specific needs and condition.

The length of a child's stay in the PICU can vary depending on their condition. Some children may only need to stay for a day or two, while others may require weeks or, in rare cases, even months of care. The PICU staff works closely with parents and caregivers, providing support and ensuring that the child receives optimal care. The PICU team holds daily meetings, known as rounds, to discuss each patient's case in detail and plan their medical care. During these rounds, parents may be asked to stay in their child's room or wait outside the PICU to protect the privacy of other patients.

The establishment of PICUs has been influenced by several factors, including the development of specialties such as pediatric anesthesiology, pediatric cardiac surgery, and advancements in neonatal intensive care. The first PICU was established in 1955 at the Children's Hospital of Goteburg in Sweden by Goran Haglund. The expansion of PICUs across North America and Europe has provided dedicated critical care services for children, ensuring they receive the highest level of medical attention and improving their chances of recovery.

Pre-operative (Pre-op)

The pre-operative (pre-op) area is where you will wait before being taken to the operating room. This may be a room with a door or a private area screened by curtains. You will be given a hospital gown and non-slip socks to change into, and a bag to store your street clothes. You may then sit in a recliner or wait on a stretcher.

In the pre-op area, a nurse will take your vital signs, including blood pressure, temperature, and blood oxygen levels. They will also do a nursing assessment, review your medications, and answer any questions you may have. An intravenous (IV) line will be inserted into a vein in your hand or forearm to administer anesthesia and other medications such as antibiotics and pain relievers.

You will meet your anesthesia provider, who will examine you and review your medical and anesthesia history, as well as any test results. They will explain the type of anesthesia you will receive and answer any questions. The type of anesthesia will depend on your health, the type of surgery, and your personal preferences. Options include local, regional, spinal, and general anesthesia.

General anesthesia may involve injecting medicine into your IV or providing a mixture of anesthetic gases with oxygen to breathe. Regional anesthesia involves injecting numbing medicine around the incision site, while spinal anesthesia involves injecting numbing medicine around nerves near the surgical site. With either regional or spinal anesthesia, you may also receive intravenous sedation.

A breathing tube may be placed into your windpipe during the operation to help you breathe, and a heart-lung machine may be brought into the operating room if needed.

Post-surgery (SICU)

Post-surgery, you will be taken to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) or the Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit (PACU), also known as the recovery room. The environment in the SICU may be cool, moist, and busy. You will be closely monitored by a nurse who will try to make you as comfortable as possible. Depending on your condition and the type of surgery you had, you may have intravenous tubes and lines, tubes attached to your chest, air boots on your legs, and a catheter in your bladder to drain urine. You may also be wearing a face mask that provides oxygen.

In the SICU, clinical staff will closely monitor your vital signs and heart minute by minute, using specialized equipment. They will also help you with breathing and moving exercises to aid your recovery. For example, you will be encouraged to take deep breaths, as lying flat for an extended time can cause fluids to build up in your lungs, which can lead to pneumonia. Coughing will also help remove chest secretions and prevent pneumonia. Changing positions while in the recovery bed helps stimulate circulation and deeper breathing and relieves pressure areas.

The nursing staff will assist you in getting out of bed the day after your surgery. Each day, you will increase the distance you walk. By the time you leave the hospital, you should be walking at least 500 feet at least four times a day.

The length of time spent in the SICU depends on the type of surgery and your condition. Once you have recovered from your anesthesia and are stable, you will be transferred to a thoracic surgical unit or another inpatient unit, where the staff specializes in caring for patients who have undergone specific surgeries.

Frequently asked questions