Patients and families facing a critical illness find comprehensive, compassionate, state-of-the-art care in our Cardiovascular Intensive Care (CVICU) and Intensive Care (ICU) units.

Cardiovascular Intensive Care

The CVICU cares for patients in the first 24 to 48 hours following open-heart surgery.The unit, located on the fourth floor of the Center for Advanced Care, features eight CVICU suites where patients receive round-the-clock, specialized care.

The CVICU includes a large, comfortable waiting area and three consultation rooms where families, caregivers and physicians can discuss the patient’s condition and progress in private.

To ensure patient privacy, the CVICU requires appointment of a family spokesperson. Patient information is shared only with the spokesperson.

Visiting Hours: Visiting times are limited to 15 minutes every three hours, beginning at 6:30 a.m. Doors to the CVICU are unlocked promptly at 6:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. No more than three people may visit at a time. Children under 14 are not permitted in the CVICU. Please check with the family spokesperson before planning a visit.

Intensive Care Unit 

The ICU is located on the second floor of the Center for Advanced Care (22^nd Street entrance) and includes 24 private rooms. The unit is divided into three nursing pods that allow patients to be grouped by medical needs, such as internal medicine, post-surgical care, neuroscience and so on.

Each patient room is assigned a private waiting area with a couch/hideaway bed, a recliner, a safe for valuables, a telephone,and pillows and blankets. Some waiting areas also have access to a kitchenette that includes a small refrigerator, microwave and a coffee maker.

Visiting hours:

• 9 to 10 a.m.
• noon to 2 p.m.
• 4 to 6 p.m.
• 9 to 10 p.m.

Important information for visitors to the intensive care units (CVICU or ICU)

• Live plants, flowers, balloons and other such items are prohibited.
• Wash your hands prior to entering the room. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer is available in each patient room.
• Children under 14 are not permitted to visit.
• No more than three people may visit at one time.
• Visitors may be asked to step out of the room so we can provide care for the patient. If this is the case, please do so quietly and quickly.
• Cell phones and mobile devices must be turned completely off (or placed in airplane mode) before entering the critical care units. Signals from these devices may interfere with the highly specialized equipment used in caring for your loved one.
• Please check with the nurse before giving the patient any food brought from home.
• Please do not leave any of your personal belongings in the room.
• Don’t be alarmed by the equipment and tubes being used to care for your loved one. These are normal.