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August 31, 2010

A Sampling of Acute Care

It's day two of my acute care rotation. Today I went around with my clinical instructor and got a taste of what acute care practice is like. In acute care, we start off with a patient list and plan our day according to the rooms that are clustered together. The University Hospital consists of 4 or 5 building connected by above ground crosswalks (like Minneapolis!), at least 20 wards, and 900+ beds. It takes 15 minutes to get from one end of the hospital to the other.

Treating therapists rotate through 4 units -- Unit 1 or general surgery, which offers a variety of patient types from renal patients to plastic surgery patients to transplant patients. These patients offer the widest variety of conditions -- some are very sick and some are up and walking independently, having had relatively minor surgery compared to some others.

Unit 2 is neurology and cancer patients. These folks will include neuro-ICU, strokes, spinal cord injuries, brain tumor surgeries, and, of course, all kinds of cancer patients. Many of the cancer patients will be on contact precautions, not because they pose a threat to a healthy hospital environment, but because we pose an infection risk to them! Many cancer treatments create reduced immunity and put patients at risk for contracting all kinds of bugs that healthy individuals can usually avoid.

Unit 3 are the cardiac patients. Some in the department argue that cardiac patients are the most difficult to treat because they are seriously ill. Obviously heart attack patients end up here, but also patients with heart transplants, circulation problems and often lung problems because these systems are so closely intertwined.

Unit 4 is trauma and burns. UAB department of physical therapy is working with the University Hospital to research an early mobilization program for burn patients. Early results look promising. Of course, trauma also includes stabbings, gunshot wounds (we are in the inner city -- just watch First 48), and motor vehicle accidents.

Posted by linda at August 31, 2010 6:20 PM