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October 06, 2022 : Chesapeake Regional Healthcare is developing. The hospital system is having a dedication ceremony for a brand new Intensive Care Unit that will open for patients next week.
10 On Your Side got a sneak peek at the $60 million addition built on top of the existing hospital.
The area has 30 extra large rooms with ICU beds for critically ill patients and room for the family. There is space for family members to sleep in the room along with an electronic whiteboard, permitting for two-way communication between families and clinicians.
Hospital staff assisted design the space allowing for better workflow and protection.
“Our nursing staff and respiratory therapy staff labored on designing down to where outlets went down on these booms,” stated Associate Chief Nursing Officer Jeannine Simon.
Nursing can be back-breaking job. “We designed the space so there’s less twisting and moving; it’s more ergonomically designed,” Simon pointed 10 On Your Side.
Chief of Nursing & Chief Operations Officer, Amber Egyud, revealed another safety feature on the ceiling. “Every room was built with what is named a Hoyer lift that allows us to lift patients up to 700 lbs safely for the patient and the attendants.”
Previous year, 1,964 patients were discharged from the old ICU at Chesapeake Regional. The floor beyond the new ICU is designed as a replica, and it will be utilized as a step-down unit but could convert to another ICU if required. It’s something top of mind while constructing during the pandemic.
“It’s a very stressful period for families and we wanted to make sure that this becomes a place of expectancy and healing for our community for years to come,” Egyud displayed.
The Hospital’s expansion plans include various phases with a budget of $150 million.
The successive phase will be to expand the Mother-Baby unit. The old ICU will be eliminated to create a larger space for new families. Chesapeake Regional offers about 3,000 babies a year.
