They may vary somewhat between facilities but these are fairly standard in the United States.
In some facilities, a separate open-heart recovery unit may be utilized for surgical patients.
You may arrive at the ER by private transportation or by ambulance.
Illustration by Mira Norian for Verywell Health
Care is provided according to the severity of your illness rather than by when you arrived.
ICU
Theintensive care unit(ICU) is where you’re sent if you require close monitoring.
The ICU is also referred to as a critical care unit.
MICU patients are managed by physicians who have a background in internal medicine.
In some facilities, the neurological ICU is referred to as NCC, for neurological critical care.
The neurological ICU is where you’re taken if you have a serious brain-related illness.
The neonatal ICU is where newborns are taken for intensive care.
Premature infants or very sick babies are treated in the NICU where they can receive constant monitoring.
Oncology
Theoncologyunit is where you receive therapies intended to improve or cure your cancer.
These treatments may include radiation and chemotherapy.
Open-Heart Recovery
An open-heart recovery unit is where you’re treated afterheart surgery.
OR
The operating room (OR) is where both inpatient and outpatient surgeries are performed.
Hospice and palliative care focus on providing comfort and quality of life.
In some facilities, oncology and hospice/palliative care may be provided in the same unit.
PICU
The pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is where children receive critical care.
Depending on the facility, newborns may be treated in a PICU or a neonatal ICU.
Pre-Op
Pre-op is short for preoperative, which means before surgery.
Often this is where any necessarymedicationsor intravenous (IV) access are initiated.
Rehabilitation
This area may be in the hospital or a separate facility, depending on your location.
Rehabilitation is where you go to increase your strength so that you could go home.
This could mean learning how to transfer from a wheelchair to your bed or car seat.
This unit is managed by physicians who have a background in surgery.
Step-Down Unit
A step-down unit is an area where an intermediate level of care is provided.
There are many types of step-down units, ranging from surgical step-down to cardiac step-down.
Floor units vary widely by name.
Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification about the information you’re being given.
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