Pennsylvania ICU
Medical ICU at Penn Highlands Healthcare
Intensive Care Unit
Penn Highlands hospitals in DuBois, Mon Valley and Connellsville each offer a medical ICU, also known as an intensive care unit, for patients who are critically ill or injured. With highly trained critical care staff, our Pennsylvania ICUs offer the best care close to home for many patients throughout central Pennsylvania.
What is a Medical ICU?
An intensive care unit, also known as a medical ICU, offers high-quality care for the most critically ill or injured patients. A medical ICU provides 1:1 patient to nurse ratios and is staffed 24 hours a day with nurses and physicians who are trained in critical care. All of our Pennsylvania ICU hospitals offer state-of-the-art medical equipment that can provide life-saving interventions on the spot.
Where Can I get ICU Care at Penn Highlands?
ICU at Penn Highlands Connellsville is a highly-specialized unit, dedicated to the needs of adult patients requiring intensive monitoring and patient care services including cardiac, medical and surgical care.
ICU at Penn Highlands Mon Valley is a highly-specialized unit, dedicated to the needs of adult patients requiring intensive monitoring and patient care services including cardiac, medical and surgical care.
When are Visiting Hours at the Penn Highlands’ ICUs?
Visiting hours at each of our Pennsylvania ICU locations are as follows:
- Penn Highlands Connellsville - The ICU offers 30-minute visitation 4 times per day: 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
- Penn Highlands DuBois - The ICU offers open visitation but requests that visitors refrain from visiting patients during quiet time, which is daily from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM.
- Penn Highlands Mon Valley - The ICU offers open visitation between 9:00 AM to 12 Noon and 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
What are the Different Types of ICU?
Types of ICU can be defined differently by state and by hospital system. In general, ICUs are broken down by specialty areas. Common types of ICUs include:
- Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), which specializes in the management of critically ill or injured children.
- Cardiac or cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU), which provides care for critical cardiac and/or lung patients. We offer a Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) at Penn Highlands Heart Center in DuBois. Some hospitals refer to their combined cardiac and lung patient critical care unit as a cardiothoracic intensive care unit (CTICU).
- Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) offers care for premature and medically fragile newborns. Penn Highlands DuBois has a NICU staffed with top neonatologists and nurses who specialize in treating critically ill newborns and premature babies.
- Surgical trauma intensive care unit (STICU) provides emergency surgery or specialized care for trauma patients.
- Medical intensive care unit (MICU) specializes in patient care for people with life-threatening illnesses.
What is Critical Care vs Intensive Care?
What’s the difference between critical care and intensive care or the difference between a CCU and ICU are questions asked often and both have the same answer. Critical care and critical care units (CCU) and intensive care and intensive care units (ICU are interchangeable at Penn Highlands. Critical care is delivered via our intensive care units (ICU) and cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU). Both provide the highest level of critical care for patients who are extremely sick or injured. Our CVICU specializes in cardiac and lung patients, whereas our ICUs treat all types of critically ill or injured patients.
What Type of Patients Receive Care in a Medical ICU?
Patients needing care in a medical ICU typically have experienced a trauma, life-threatening illness or injury, or have just undergone major surgery. Fortunately, the expert staff Penn Highlands’ Intensive Care Units (ICU) offer high-quality care that is always dependable when you or your loved ones require this advanced level of care.
The following are examples of conditions, illnesses, and injuries that may warrant someone spending time in a medical ICU:
- traumatic brain injury from a fall or accident
- stroke or heart failure
- major surgery for an illness, injury, or cancer
- lost a limb or experienced extreme blood loss
- sepsis or a life-threatening infection
- extreme respiratory distress from an injury or illness
- shock or a coma
Where Can I Find a Pennsylvania ICU?
Penn Highlands offers Pennsylvania ICUs at our hospitals throughout central Pennsylvania. When looking for a Pennsylvania ICU, it’s important to consider patient-to-nurse ratios, medical interventions available, and location. Many patients do not have a choice about which Pennsylvania ICU they may receive care at unless you are undergoing a major surgery and choose where you receive care.
