Our Patient and Families
The SICU may have patients from age ten to geriatric since admission is based on a minimum weight of 30 kg. Patients who have had major operations or those experiencing complications requiring extensive physiological monitoring are admitted. Typically this encompasses those patients with peripheral vascular diseases, cancer, hepatic, pancreatic or renal failure, cardiac, and pulmonary disease. Often these patients present with multi-system failure requiring swan ganz monitoring, ventilator support, parenteral nutrition, and fluid and electrolyte corrections. In addition, there are designated thoracic surgery overflow beds on the unit. This ICU also may receive overflow from the Trauma, Neuro, Medicine, and Cardiac intensive care units.

Our most common patient population includes patients undergoing the following procedures: major vascular and peripheral surgery, AFBs, renal revascularization, GI surgical procedures, oncological surgical procedures requiring intensive care monitoring, liver/pancreas/renal transplant surgery, ECMO, and CRRT.

Philosophy of Care
Each individual is a holistic being with physiological, cognitive, psychological, and spiritual needs. The family system is considered to be part of our realm of care and integral to the health, healing, and recovery of the patient. We offer flexible visiting hours for our families and visitors. The nursing care delivery system used is primary nursing utilizing critical pathways for specific patient populations.