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Acute care nursing 

Acute care nursing staff cares for patients with non-critical ailments and a wide variety of illnesses, including: 

• neurological disorders
• solid organ transplantation
• trauma and orthopedic injuries
• respiratory isolation
• general medicine
• short stay
• vascular and abdominal surgery
• research study participants

The registered nurse (RN) staff is assisted in patient care by nursing care technicians and by the patient's family members. Families of the patients are considered integral participants in the patient's care.

Acute care nursing services are provided for patients in the following areas:

Burn unit
Care for patients of all ages who have sustained burn injuries.

Cardiothoracic step-down unit
Care for adult patients who have had cardiothoracic surgery and are in stable condition, patients transferred from the intensive care unit (ICU) and pre-operative candidates.

Cardiovascular intensive care unit
Care for adult patients who have had cardiothoracic or transplant surgery (heart and/or lung) requiring frequent monitoring and observation, specialized diagnostic treatments and specialized intensive care nursing.

Care for adult patients with cardiac conditions identified as critical who require specialized diagnostic treatments, frequent observation and specialized intensive care nursing. 

Kidney/liver/pancreas transplant
Care for patients waiting for or undergoing any stage of kidney, kidney/pancreas or liver transplantation.

Medical isolation unit
Care for patients ranging in age from adolescence to the very elderly requiring isolation due to drug resistant organisms or respiratory isolation.

Orthopaedic surgery unit
Care for patients ranging in age from adolescence to the very elderly admitted for elective orthopedic surgery, sports injuries or those who require complex fracture management including hand reconstruction and spine care.

Progressive care unit
Care for adult patients who are hemodynamically stable who can benefit from close supervision and monitoring, such as frequent pulmonary toilet, vital signs, and/or neurological and neurovascular checks. Staff work closely with family members who are encouraged to be active in the patient's plan of care to expedite transfer to an acute care bed or rehabilitation center as appropriate 

Renal dialysis
Care for patients ranging in age from infants to the very elderly suffering from acute renal failure, as well as chronic renal failure requiring hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and CVVHD. Treatments are delivered in the dialysis unit, at the bedside, emergency department, post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) or operating room.

Stroke unit
Care for stroke patients in Lexington's first premiere stroke care unit certified by the American Stroke Association and the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Hospitals Organization (JCAHO), and a participating hospital in the prestigious American Heart Association/American Stroke Association "Get with the Guidelines Stroke Program."

Surgical intensive care unit
Care for adult patients with multiple injuries or who have had complex surgical procedures that require frequent observation, specialized monitoring and medical treatment and specialized intensive care nursing.

Telemetry
Care for adult medical-surgical patients requiring cardiac monitoring, particularly those with a cardiac diagnosis, and for heart and lung transplant patients that have been transferred from the intensive care unit (ICU).

Trauma intensive care unit
Care for adult patients with multiple trauma injuries and complex surgical procedures who require frequent observation, specialized monitoring, medical treatment and intensive specialized nursing care. This unit admits patients directly transported by the Air Medical Service and is a mainstay for the Level 1 Trauma Center.