Intensive Care Unit at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Oktibbeha County

Our ICU is a six-bed critical care unit located on the third floor of the hospital. The unit's primary purpose is to provide a high level of individualized care to patients who need close, continuous monitoring — patients facing life-threatening illness, serious injury or complications after major surgery.

Because the ICU sits inside a full hospital campus, patients have immediate access to imaging, laboratory, surgical services and specialty consultation without transfer. Every patient in the ICU has a care team dedicated to their recovery, and we work closely with hospital physicians, specialists and the family at the bedside to make sure every decision is informed and every concern is heard.

Patients are admitted to the intensive care unit when they need a higher level of monitoring or treatment than a regular hospital floor can provide. Common reasons include:

• Severe respiratory illness — pneumonia, COPD flare-ups, acute respiratory failure
• Cardiac conditions — heart attack, severe heart failure, arrhythmias
• Stroke and other neurological emergencies
• Severe infections and sepsis
• Trauma and serious injuries — falls, motor vehicle accidents, severe burns
• Post-surgical recovery for complex procedures
• Multi-system illness requiring close coordination across specialties

Patients may come to the ICU directly from the emergency room, from another hospital floor, from the operating room or transferred from another hospital.

The ICU is staffed by a team of registered nurses — two on every shift, with 14 on staff — supported by hospital physicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, social workers and chaplains.

Nursing Certifications

Our nurses bring deep, specialized training to every shift. All ICU nurses are certified in:

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) — for managing cardiac emergencies  
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) — for managing pediatric emergencies  
• Trauma Nurse Core Curriculum (TNCC) — for nurses responding to trauma situations  
• Basic Life Support (BLS) — foundational emergency response training

We encourage our nurses to earn the Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) credential, a national specialty certification for nurses caring for acutely ill adult patients.

Several team members also hold additional credentials:

• Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) — a national specialty certification for nurses caring for acutely ill adult patients
• Trauma Nurse Core Curriculum (TNCC) — for nurses responding to trauma situations

Multidisciplinary Support

• Beyond bedside nursing, ICU patients receive care from a broader team:
• Hospital physicians and specialists consult on complex cases
• Respiratory therapists manage ventilators and breathing support
• Pharmacists review medications for safety and effectiveness
• Dietitians plan specialized nutrition, including tube feeding when needed
• Social workers and chaplains support patients and families through emotionally difficult moments

Our ICU uses an advanced monitoring system that lets the care team keep constant watch on every patient's heart rhythm, breathing, blood pressure, oxygen levels and other key signs. Alarms alert nurses to even small changes, helping the team respond quickly when a patient's condition shifts.

Each ICU room is equipped for:

• Continuous vital sign monitoring at the bedside and at the nurses' station
• Mechanical ventilation for patients who need help breathing
• Cardiac monitoring for patients with heart rhythm concerns
• Infusion pumps for precise medication delivery
• Bedside ultrasound when imaging is needed quickly

The ICU has a designated waiting area adjacent to the unit where families and visitors can rest, eat and stay close to their loved one.

Hospitality Suites

For families who want to stay overnight near their loved one in the ICU, the hospital offers hospitality suites with hotel-like accommodations for $65 per night. Reservations can be made through the hospital business office.

What to Bring

You can support a loved one in the ICU by bringing:
A list of their medications, allergies and recent medical history
Names and phone numbers of family members who can be reached for decisions
Photos or small comforting items for the bedside (large items can crowd medical equipment)
Notebooks or your phone for taking notes during care team updates

Communication with the Care Team

Doctors and nurses make rounds in the morning and again later in the day. We encourage families to designate one or two primary contacts who can share updates with everyone else — this protects rest time and helps the care team stay focused on patient care.

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The ICU has set visitation windows to balance family time with patient rest and care needs.

• Late morning:10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.  
• Early afternoon: 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.  
• Evening: 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The care team can extend visit times for special circumstances. Ask the charge nurse if you have questions.