W E L C O M E

Welcome to the Hamilton Medical Center Intensive Care Unit. We strive to provide patients and their families with the highest level of compassionate care. The following guidelines are designed to meet your loved one’s need for rest, safety, privacy, and dignity.

INTENSIVIST PROGRAM

The intensivist program is a specialized team of providers such as doctors, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners who provide detailed care for critically ill patients in the ICU 24 hours a day. They have advanced training and experience in treating and performing procedures on critically ill and performing procedures
on patients who are critically ill and/or have complex medical issues.

CARDIOVASCULAR PROGRAM

The Cardiovascular Program includes a specialized group of providers such as doctors, nurses, and anesthesia specialists. The team works closely together to provide advanced cardiac care to patients in need. Team members have advanced cardiac training and experience in treating and performing procedures on all cardiac patients.

NURSES

The nurses who care for your family members are specially trained in critical care. Their education and credentialing ensures the care delivered to your loved one meets standards of excellence and promotes health and safety.

ROUNDS

Every day, including weekends, the ICU team meets (from 9:00 – 11:00 am) to discuss your loved one’s progress and plans for the next 24 hours. Because multiple patients with varying degrees of illness are included in rounds, we cannot guarantee a set time with your loved one every day. We encourage you to come and participate when the team rounds on your loved one.

ENVIRONMENT

• Please respect the privacy of other patients and families.
• Rest is an important part of healing. We promote rest after 10:00 pm as allowed by the treatment plan.
• Cell phone use should be kept to a minimum. Please set your phone to vibrate for incoming calls.
• For patient privacy, photography/videography is not allowed inside the unit.
• We suggest that all valuable belongings be taken home. Family belongings should not be stored
• in patient rooms. Hamilton Medical Center is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
• Smoking is not permitted on the hospital campus.

INFECTION PREVENTION

• The measures below prevent the development and spread of infection.
• Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer upon entering and exiting patient rooms.
• Food or drink is not permitted inside the unit.
• No live plants or cut flowers may be brought into the unit.
• Bathrooms inside the patient rooms are not permitted for visitor use. Restrooms are located outside of both MICU and SICU/CVICU.

PASTORAL CARE

Chaplains provide pastoral care and counseling for a wide variety of needs. They are available 24/7. Ask a staff member for details or call 706-217-2015.

FOOD SERVICES AND VENDING

• Vending areas are located near SICU waiting and inside MICU waiting area.
• The cafeteria is located on the service level.

COMMUNICATION

• Patient privacy is a national law.
• To comply with federal guidelines, staff members are only able to provide updates to the patient’s designated support person.
• The support person will be responsible for communicating information to extended family and friends.
• Phone updates will only be provided to the designated support person with a personal security code.
• When you are away from the unit, please leave a phone number where you can be reached.
• Communication assistance and interpreters are available upon request.
• To ensure effective communication to those who are deaf or hard of hearing, Hamilton provides interpreters and auxiliary aids. These services are provided free of charge. If these services are needed, please notify your healthcare provider.

PATIENT ACCESS CODE

This confidential code is provided to be used by the patient’s support person to obtain
patient information.

TECHNOLOGY FORWARD

PrisMax is a new type of continuous renal replacement therapy approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2019. Hamilton Medical Center was the first hospital in the nation to use the technology.