Registered Nurse Kevin Browne, director of nursing for critical care and pediatric services, talks about how Memorial Sloan Kettering’s intensive care unit incorporates state-of-the-art technology and design with advanced nursing care. The two vital levels of nursing expertise present in the ICU are nurse practitioners, who are advanced practice nurses collaborating closely with physicians and other nurses, and bedside nurses, who are specially trained to meet the needs of ICU patients. The nurse-to-patient ratio is very low at 1:1 or 2:1.
Critical care nurses participated at every step of the design process for the ICU. Each of the private patient rooms features ceiling-mounted technology, natural lighting, and electronic glass to ensure privacy while decreasing infection risk.