Burn and pediatrics make the move
Nine patients were transported as the first stage of University Medical Center’s move to Community Regional Medical Center was completed before noon on April 16.
When the call came over that the first pediatric patient was arriving downstairs, empty boxes stood in the hallway and nurses were still placing toys in the new playroom at the downtown regional medical center.
But the most important things were already in place at the pediatric unit on the fifth floor of the 5- and 10-story building, said Julie Bowen, registered nurse clinical supervisor. She ticked them off on her fingers: beds, equipment, gloves – and fish.
“The fish moved over on Thursday. We have two Nemos and four Dorries in the playroom,” said Bowen, explaining that the two orange striped clown fish and four small tropical blues swimming in the playroom aquarium are used as incentives to get children out of their hospital beds and walking.
At the same time one team was preparing to accept two pediatric patients from UMC, another team was preparing at the staff entrance to the new emergency department to accept seven burn and pediatric trauma patients in the new Leon S. Peters Burn Center.
The burn patients were taken up an elevator to the fifth floor of the new trauma critical care building, where the command center buzzed with folks on the phone and at computers entering patient data. But on the other side of the windowed conference room, five nurses grabbed yellow paper gowns and snapped on gloves as they surrounded the bed waiting for a 5-month-old patient on his way up.
Patients arrived at Community Regional every 15 to 20 minutes, with the first pediatric patient arriving at 9:27 a.m., and the last at 10:20 a.m. The first burn patient arrived at 9:28 a.m. with the last being received at 11:41 a.m.
“It’s gone really smooth so far, nothing unexpected” said Karen Buckley, Community Regional’s chief nursing officer.
Brenda Peterson, registered nurse clinical supervisor in the burn unit, called the move smooth and said staff had been thrilled to see the new digs.
Summer Bourez, mother of 6-year-old pediatric trauma patient Chase Bourez, looked around in wonder at the new Peters Burn Center’s shiny floors, big rooms with windows and the nurses station that stretches more 50 feet with computers lined up all along.
“Wow, this is like a Grey’s Anatomy hospital,” Bourez said, referring to the popular television show.
This move precedes a larger one that will take place April 17 and 18, as more than 100 more patients are expected to make the move, said Bruce Kinder, transition project manager and vice president of academic affairs.
“All in all, this is kind of the pre-move as we’re getting ready to flip the switch on the trauma center,” Kinder said.
By midweek, UMC’s Level 1 trauma and acute inpatient services will also move to Community Regional.
At 4 a.m. April 17, UMC will close to all ambulance traffic, and shortly before 7 a.m. the UMC sign will be covered and its emergency department doors will be closed for good.
Said Kinder: “This is the beginning of an academic regional medical center here in the Valley.”
This story was reported by Erin Kennedy and Eddie Hughes. They can be reached at MedWatchToday@communitymedical.org.