The Intermediate Intensive Care Unit (IICU) is an 18-bed unit that provides special medical and surgical care to seriously ill patients.
Mission: The IICU is dedicated to promoting a self-directed and accountable nursing team. We, as empowered staff, will provide leadership in the promotion of quality, holistic care for individuals throughout the stages of life and in the movement toward a healthier community.
Our critical care nurses have special training and skills needed to organize all areas of care for your loved one. The nursing staff is available to answer questions and assist your family members as needed. Our team includes registered nurses (RNs), patient care assistants (PCAs), and unit clerks.
Registered nurses are the primary caregivers whose responsibilities include: assessing each patient at least every four hours, providing medical treatments, administering medications, rounding with physicians, and assisting with daily hygiene.
Patient care assistants help the RNs with checking vital signs, daily personal hygiene, and other activities.
Unit clerks assist in the indirect care of patients by answering phones, entering doctors’ orders into the computer, and assisting visitors.
Other healthcare members whom you may see are:
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Respiratory therapist: provides services to assist breathing, using oxygen, breathing treatments, and ventilators (breathing machines).
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Dietitian: plans and monitors nutritional needs.
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Physical therapist: helps the patient regain strength.
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Occupational therapist: teaches exercise and skills for day-to-day living.
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Speech therapist: evaluates and treats speech, hearing, and feeding disorders.
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Social workers: assist patients and their families with medical, financial, and social needs.
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Food service/Hostess: daily meal requests, and deliver meal trays.
Some doctors may prescribe a special diet for patients, which can include restrictions such as low fat, low sodium, and low sugar. Food consistency may also be modified due to swallowing precautions.
Nothing by mouth (NPO), or nothing to eat or drink, is a common order before many tests and surgeries, or because of a medical condition.
A Special Word About Visiting
The IICU staff understands your need to be with your family member. Please remember, though, that patient care comes first and because there are times during procedures, emergencies, physician rounds, and patient care that visiting isn’t appropriate, you will be asked to wait in the waiting room for a brief time.
Visitation Guidelines
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Limit visitors to only two at a time
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Children under 12 may not visit
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IICU is closed to all visitors and family members from 8–10 a.m. and 2–4 p.m.
Isolation Precautions
Patients can develop certain infections that require them to be in isolation. Visitors and staff are required to wear yellow isolation gowns and gloves when in these rooms. This is to protect the patient and those who enter the room. It is very important to wash your hands before and after visiting a patient who is in isolation.
Please
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Ask the staff to explain things you may not understand
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Write your questions for the team down
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Go to the waiting room if asked by the staff
The waiting room is located near the elevators on the 6th floor
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Wash your hands before and after visiting (sinks are located in each room)
Please Do Not
Phone Calls
Frequent phone calls take time away from patient care. Please select one family member to be the contact person to make phone calls about the patient’s condition. Telephone information will only be given to the contact person. This contact person should share information with other family members.
IICU phone number: (717) 544-5601
Main hospital number: (717) 544-5511
Other Information
Appropriate gifts for patients in IICU are cards, balloons, or artificial flowers. Fresh flowers may not be suitable for all patients; please ask the nursing staff before delivering flowers. Patients may have their glasses, hearing aids, dentures, slippers, and robes from home. Please inform staff of any valuables which are brought in or taken home.
Food is available in the cafeteria from 6 a.m.–8 p.m. and 2–4 a.m.
Vending machines are available on the 1st floor and in the 6th floor waiting room.
An ATM machine is located on the ground floor across from the cafeteria entrance.