Modernized Nursing Units Open at McHenry

July 21, 2021 | 1 min. to read

Two modernized, newly constructed Medical-Surgical Units and a Medical-Surgical Observation Unit at McHenry Hospital opened in May. The Medical-Surgical Units are located on the hospital’s sixth and seventh floors, and the Medical-Surgical Observation Unit is on the first floor.
 
The investments, which cost $6.2 million, demonstrate NM’s commitment to enhancing the patient experience and services available to people in greater McHenry County. The new units are part of Northwestern Medicine’s longer-term plan to transform McHenry into an all-private-room environment.
 
Hospital leaders have budgeted for further investments of more than $6 million in the next six months to modernize and privatize additional patient rooms. In the next several years, the team also plans to update the hospital’s Surgery Department and public areas to further enhance the patient experience.
 
The new Medical-Surgical Units feature private rooms, additional windows to bring in more natural light, dimmable LED lighting and bathrooms designed for the comfort and safety of patients and visitors. New team stations will reduce noise and make it easier for physicians and nurses to collaborate with other hospital colleagues. In the Medical-Surgical Observation Unit, which provides 23-hour care for patients not requiring inpatient admission, rooms have been upgraded to enhance privacy and relaxation.
 
“What began as a project to modernize our hospital units took on new meaning with the pandemic,” says Nick Rave, McHenry president. “We pushed ahead with the project despite COVID-19 to provide patients a safer environment where we can do even more to prevent the spread of infection. The improvements go beyond what you can immediately see. We also upgraded systems and technologies to support innovative treatments and leading-edge care.”
 
Physicians and hospital staff members were included in the design of the new units and recently took part in simulations to prepare for move-in. During those simulations, team members walked through patient care situations to familiarize themselves with the new unit layouts and technologies. 
 
“We are delighted to welcome patients into a modern environment that reflects the advanced care NM provides,” Rave says. “It is just one part of our plans to revolutionize how patients in our community receive care.”