What to Expect

Upon Arrival

Family members will be asked to wait in the 3rd floor family area until the patient is settled into his or her room. There are many monitoring devices that must be applied and an initial assessment of the patient’s condition must be made and appropriate treatment measures initiated. Monitoring protocols include blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and cardiac rhythm monitors.

Once the patient is settled into his or her room and made as comfortable as possible, we will allow visitation with family. In some instances, a family member may be asked to provide pertinent information regarding the patient’s medical history and current illness. After the initial visit and assurance that your loved one is being well taken care of, we will ask that our visitation regulations be followed.

Patient Inquiries

To minimize nurses’ time away from their patients, we ask that phone calls be kept to a minimum and that each family designate a spokesperson who will be responsible for keeping other family members updated on the condition of their loved one. In accordance with the law (HIPAA), pertinent patient information can only be given to such designated callers. We also ask that calls are withheld between 6 a.m. – 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. while nurses change shifts. There are no phones in the patient rooms, however calls may be made directly to the waiting area at (615) 328-4390.

Personal Items in the CCU

Family members are welcome to bring personal items for patients such as cards and photographs that may encourage recovery. Please keep personal items of value, like jewelry or cash, at home. Flowers, potted plants, or balloons are not permitted as they have the potential to cause allergic reactions in some patients on the unit. Food is also not permitted in the CCU.