DCH Opens Progressive Care Unit

Press release from Dearborn County Hospital Cutting the ribbon to open the new Progressive Care Unit (PCU) at Dearborn County Hospital are (front, left to right) Angela Scudder, RN, MSN, DCH Vice President of Patient Care Services, and Jamie Earls, RN, DCH Progressive Care and Medical/Surgical Units Manager.  Watching the ceremony are PCU staff (left to right) Danielle McQueen, PCA; Holli Miller, RN; Tammy Johnson, RN; Jean Grizzell, LPN; Barbara King, RN; and Pam Wills, RN, DCH Director of Patient Care Services. Photo provided. (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - Dearborn County Hospital has announced the opening of its new Progressive Care Unit (PCU).  This six bed specialty unit is designed for patients who need a higher level of nursing care and/or observation than is available on a traditional Medical/Surgical Unit, however, they do not require the specialized nursing skills of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Based upon their physician’s orders, patients may be admitted directly to the Progressive Care Unit or they may be transferred there from the Emergency Department, ICU or any adult Medical and/or Surgical Unit in the hospital.  PCU rooms, like all patient rooms at DCH, are private. “This new unit is a vital link in our overall continuum of care for our patients,” stated Angela Scudder, RN, MSN, DCH Vice President of Patient Care Services.  “It helps us better provide patients with the amount of nursing care most appropriate for their diagnosis and current stage of recovery.  Patients can be transitioned between the three levels of care, ICU, PCU and Medical and/or Surgical Units, based upon their current or anticipated needs.” The PCU, located adjacent to the hospital’s Medical/Surgical Unit, has a higher nurse/patient ratio than that of a traditional Medical and/or Surgical Unit.  Prior to opening the new unit, all PCU and Medical/Surgical Unit staff received additional training which focused on critical care assessments, processes and concepts.