Connect

After four big moves around the hospital to accommodate COVID patients, the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) carried out their fifth successful move on July 19 — from 4 South back to their original space on the third floor.

This latest move marked the end of a long and emotional journey and the start of a new chapter of healing. “The move was symbolic,” says Sarah Kaplan, BSN, RN, CCRN, Interim Assistant Nurse Manager. “It genuinely felt like we were going back home.”

With under three weeks to plan, the move from one side of the hospital to the other went as smoothly as anyone could have hoped. The 28 ICU-level patients arrived safely in their new rooms, and their families are already reporting they are happy in the cozy unit.

“There are advantages to being in a more condensed space, because you can visually anticipate the needs of your team members and your patients,” says Kris Blackstone, MSN, MHA, RN, CCRN, Interim Nurse Manager, pictured above.

Teamwork and Positivity Make All the Difference

Blackstone attributes their successful move to the effort and attitude of all involved. “It's impossible to name all the team members that made this move a success,” she says, “but we are forever grateful for everyone’s teamwork, willingness to help, and positive spirit.” She is particularly proud of the MICU frontline team, who she says took a “path of positivity,” choosing to see all the good in coming back to a smaller, more familiar space.

Kaplan agrees, adding that Blackstone’s leadership was key. “There was definitely a lot of help, but Kris was the glue that held it all together. She had oversight of all the different missing pieces that needed to be done so that we could succeed.”

Making the Most of Planning on a Short Timeline

When MICU leadership learned on June 30 that it was time to move back to the third floor, they ran through what they call their “move playbook.” The Operational Readiness team, led by Becky Lewis, immediately got to work on their patient-centered approach to opening a unit, supplying a contact list of who was responsible for each step in the process. Blackstone held on tight to that list, which she says helped the whole team feel empowered to voice issues as they arose. Leigh Gauriloff, MSN, Nursing Director, was instrumental in coordinating and problem-solving along the way.

The MICU’s vast experience with moves made the pieces fall into place so quickly that they had extra time to remember the little things, like borrowing the spare elevator keys from other ICU teams. “So much was done in advance that for three days, we were literally working on laptops in an empty room,” laughs Blackstone.

The MICU’s top tips for a successful move:

• Plan, plan, plan
• Work closely with the Operational Readiness team
• Have extra nurses on board from other units to help during the move
• Divide everyone up into move teams
• Lean on the generous support from nursing and hospital leadership

The evening before the move, the night team and charge nurses coordinated supplies and medications, pre-assigned rooms, and updated families and patients. “All their phenomenal prep work allowed us to give all our attention to our patients on move day,” says Blackstone.

A Successful (and Hopefully Final) Move Day

At 5 a.m., the team huddled. On hand to help were nurses from other units, the respiratory therapist and transportation teams, and the Staffing Resource office. Departmental leadership was present from Environmental Services, Telemedicine, Health Information Technology, Facilities Planning, Clinical Engineering, Project Operational Readiness, Supply Chain, Health System Power Plant, Pharmacy, Epic, Networking, and Nutritional Services.

Monitors were ready, emergency equipment was available, workstations were set up, food trays were ordered… the list goes on. All boxes were checked, and each person knew their role.

By 5:30 a.m., the first patient with all their support people and equipment were on their way from the south tower — down the elevator to the first floor, through the hallways, over to the main hospital, and back up the elevators to the third floor. For the six patients who were designated as very high acuity, the hallways were cleared to allow for the most direct path. One by one, all 28 patients were moved, stabilized, and resettled by that afternoon.

As Kaplan left the empty unit at the end of the day with charge nurse Morgan Ames, she became emotional. “Walking out of there for the last time, I felt a sense of relief and peace come over me. This move symbolized the end to a chapter that our unit and team has been working through for the past 27 months. That feeling of being back home is therapeutic and healing.”

Samuel Smith, RN, BSN, CCRN, CEN, admits the move was more “bittersweet” for him and the other team members who only knew the 4 South version of the MICU. Smith felt the day went far smoother than he anticipated, and is proud to be part of such an incredible team. “Time and time again, the MICU meets challenges head on and continues to rise above. Our team is relentless; both in meeting the needs of the hospital and in providing the best care possible to our patients.”