ICU
The ICU, or intensive care unit, is the department of the hospital where critically ill patients receive treatment, specialized care and close monitoring by a multidisciplinary medical team.
Intensive care unit (ICU) in St. Lucie, Florida
If a loved one needs intensive care, they will be in capable, experienced hands at HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital.
Our hospital's ICU is an 18-bed unit where we care for people with critical medical conditions. Here, our intensive care specialists and support team provide around-the-clock, family-centered critical care medicine. They work together and with our patients and their families to ensure a comprehensive care plan tailored to their needs.
Our critical care medicine services
Our ICU is specially designed to help us provide the advanced and family-centered critical care our patients need.
Family-centered intensive care
We ask that each family choose a healthcare proxy to act as the spokesperson between the medical staff and other family members. The chosen healthcare proxy is given a privacy code that enables them to call the ICU at any time to receive a status update on a loved one's condition. If a loved one's condition should change, the healthcare proxy will receive a call from our ICU staff. This practice allows us to maintain Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPAA) protections for the privacy of our patients.
Both patients and healthcare proxies can access patient information, such as lab results and imaging exams, through the MyHealthOne patient portal following discharge.
Family participation in ICU rounds
As part of our commitment to providing family-friendly intensive care, we encourage family members to participate in ICU rounds, which occur daily at 9:30am. This is an opportunity for families to hear about their loved one's care plan directly from the doctors and care team.
Multidisciplinary critical care
Our ICU is equipped with a skilled, multispecialty team, including:
- Intensive care specialists
- Registered nurses with special training in critical care
- Respiratory therapists
- Physical therapists
- Pharmacists
ICU visitor information
We encourage family and friends to visit their loved one in the ICU as we know how important the support is to the patient's healing and well-being.
Visiting a loved one in the ICU
To help us prioritize the health of all patients in the ICU, we have the following visitation guidelines:*
- The ICU is family-friendly, meaning we practice open visitation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, we ask that the number of visitors at the bedside is limited to two people at a time.
- We do allow children to visit in the ICU, but we ask that parents remain mindful of the patient's needs regarding quiet time and rest. We also encourage parents to consider the intense nature of the ICU environment before deciding to bring children into the unit.
- We ask that all visitors coming to the ICU follow certain sanitation protocols, including hand sanitizer use before entering a patient room. It is important to take necessary precautions to protect our patients from additional illnesses or infections.
- *Visitation policy subject to change based on circumstances
What to expect in the ICU
The ICU features advanced medical equipment, including life support machines and cardiac monitors. Some patients may be on medications to keep pain levels to a minimum or on hemodialysis, a treatment that filters water and other wastes from the blood. We understand it can be overwhelming to see a loved one in need of this type of care, so please don't hesitate to ask our team any questions. We want to help ensure your family feels secure and well-informed with your loved one's care.
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