Burns / Plastic / Neurosurgery (Unit 10-5)
Unit 10-5 Burn/Plastics/Neurosurgery is a 24-bed adult inpatient unit located on the tenth floor in the Patient Services Building. The unit consists of twenty private rooms and two semi-private rooms with one of the private rooms having isolation capability. Monitoring capabilities include continuous pulse oximetry and cardiac telemetry. Patients requiring close monitoring due to specific care needs are assigned near the nursing station. Budgeted bed occupancy is 78%.
Description of Patient Populations
Patients are admitted to Unit 10-5 as transfers from ICU units, Emergency Department, Operating Room, Burn Center OR/Clinics, and as hospital-to hospital referrals. Patients are admitted for continued treatment of multiple stage burn wounds, surgical flap monitoring and care, and post surgical procedures of spinal cord anomalies. Some of these diagnoses include % BSA Burns, Surgical Flaps secondary to CA, Discectomy, Laminectomy, Spinal Decompression, and other surgeries for Spinal Cord Injuries. Ages of patients served include adult, middle adult and older adult. The average length of stay is yet to be determined.
Nursing Care
Nursing care is focused on the assessment, diagnosis, planning, treatment and evaluation of preoperative and postoperative patient needs.
Nursing activities consist of:
- pain management including patient controlled analgesia and epidural
- wound management including Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC) Systems, JPs, Duvals
- respiratory management including pulse oximetry as necessary, oxygen therapy and chest tubes
- cardiac management including continuous telemetry as necessary
- nutritional management including TPN, NG-tube/G-tube/J-tube feedings
- assessment and management of abdominal/GI drainage systems including G-tubes, J-tubes, ostomies, NGs
- skin care including burn evaluation and dressings
- assessment of surgical flap viability and healing measures
- safety precautions and patient/family education and support
Health Care Team
The patient’s primary service faculty, fellows, and residents provide 24-hour care, 7 days a week for the 10-5 patients. Available support services for Unit 10-5 patients include: Pharmacy, Respiratory Therapy, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Food and Nutrition Services, Social Work services, Pastoral Care as well as Patient and Family services. Multi-disciplinary collaboration is fostered and determined by the medical, nursing, and supportive needs of the patients and families.
The nursing management structure consists of a Nurse Manager and Clinical Leader with support from a central Administrative Coordinator and Unit Assistant. Nursing staff is provided training experiences to attain and maintain competence as defined by the unit/role specific job descriptions and the Hospital Plan for Nursing Care. Registered nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and Patient Care Assistants provide nursing care. Unit Clerks provide clerical support for the direct patient caregivers. The Registered Nurse is responsible for guiding care of the patient based upon an individualized plan. Patient Care Assistants and Unit Clerks meet the basic requirements for their positions and function in accordance with their unit-based job description, as described in the Hospital Plan for Nursing Care.