Welcome to 2DICU, a unit unlike any others at Emory, and like only a few others in the United States. In both form and function, it is a place where physicians, nurses and staff are applying an emerging model of hospital care. Here families stay with patients 24/7, and clinical care is led by neurointensivists who specialize in treating critically ill patients with brain injuries.
Nurses are more than my eyes and ears. They are my eyes, ears, mouth, hands, everything, said Owen Samuels, medical director of the neuroscience ICU program. The building of 2DICU represents the convergence of medical, cultural and market forces at play in healthcare - changes that help explain the transformations in hospital nursing.
NPs are registered nurses who have completed advanced education and rigorous training in the diagnosis and management of illnesses. As such, they are able to provide a broad range of health services. The partnership between NPs and bedside nurses is important, said NP Michelle Ossmann. "Bedside nursing is key. The nurses determine everything, including when we take action. I can't function without them."
"We are more empowered to make a change. I question, I ask, I reason," said Angela Drummond, RN, chair of the Unit Practice Council. The tragedy that unfolds daily in the neuro ICU underscores the fact that anyone can suffer a sudden and devastating neurologic event. "A man can say goodbye to his family in the morning and unexpectedly be in our unit in the evening. Families are often in shock and grief because of the abruptness of this illness," said John Scala, RN, clinical manager. In the new 2DICU, families come and go and are welcome to talk with physicians and nurses during rounds. To create an environment where nurses become invested, Ray Quintero, 2D ICU director, turns to the nurses themselves. "It's not my unit. It's your unit," he said.
