A New ICU

Our hospital had an open house Thursday from 11:30 till 1:30. I decided to go. I worked at the hospital switchboard when the new hospital was built in 1975. Since then there have been many improvements. This one is a remarkable circular Intensive Care Unit.

The first photo is a cake made in the pattern of the hospital building! The woman who made it said it took her twenty-four hours to complete.

The next picture shows how large the room is without a patient's bed in place. Almost the whole wall has the large windows. There will be some type of shade for the sunny days.

The next photo shows where the bed will be placed. There are no head boards. All the controls are on the two movable arms.

Back to the refreshments, Besides plates of sandwiches and veggie, there was champagne. I didn't partake - driving, you know.

And the last photo shows the nurses' stations right outside the door. The windows have louvres between glass and can be opened or shut from either side.

There is also a translating device that can translate two hundred languages for non-English speakers plus sign language. 

It was very impressive and the speeches  with many thanks were long and flowery. We all stood for over an hour. If I hadn't been against a wall, I wouldn't have been able to do it! Many people stood in line for the "eats." I saw several people that I know and one of our retired doctors. He was one of two who started the ICU idea back in the 1950's at the two hospitals we had here before they merged.

One of the speakers mentioned maybe they communicated by tin cup then. I asked Dr. W. if that made him feel old. He replied, "I am old."   (Me too!)

At the same time they built this new facility, the replaced all the wiring in the whole complex. That is amazing. They made a 3D schematic of structure and closed a section at a time to install the new wiring.

I finally left about 1:15.

I was impressed.