Inpatient Care
Medical Surgical Unit
The Medical Surgical Unit serves pediatric to geriatric patients with medical, surgical or orthopedic illness and injury in various stages of diagnosis and treatment.
Our attentive registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants provide thorough, patient-focused nursing care including:
- Preoperative and postoperative monitoring
- IV medication treatment
- Blood product administration
- Cardiac monitoring
- Treatment and care for any medical condition that can be diagnosed and treated by your primary care provider
Our nursing staff works with physicians, a certified dietician and social services to provide the best care possible. Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy are available to assist with the recovery process.
With patient health as a primary focus, the Medical Surgical and Intensive Care Units recently updated their medication dispensing system to ensure safety.
Intensive Care Unit
The 4-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Rusk County Memorial Hospital is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for critically ill patients with heart and lung problems, trauma and other medical conditions that require complex treatment and monitoring.
Registered nurses in the ICU are highly trained in the care of acutely ill patients and have certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support.
Life sustaining treatment and monitoring capabilities within the unit include:
- Mechanical ventilation
- Continuous central venous pressure and arterial monitoring
- Post operative care for unstable patients with Patient Controlled Analgesics
- Thrombolytic treatment of heart attacks and strokes
- Cardioversion
- Transvenous temporary pacemaker
- Vasoactive medications
- External pacemaker
- Continuous ST segment monitoring
- Total parenteral nutrition
Visiting Hours
The support of family and friends is an essential part of recovery for many patients. General hospital visitation hours are from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Visitation hours for patients in the Intensive Care Unit will be dictated by patient condition and will be at the discretion of the ICU nurse.
Pharmacy
The Rusk County Memorial Hospital & Nursing Home Pharmacy Department provides pharmaceutical care for the facility's acute care hospital patients, swing bed patients, nursing home residents and employees. The department is staffed by a registered nurse, a certified pharmacy technician and a pharmacist. Additional consultants are available when needed.
With patient safety as a primary goal, the Rusk County Memorial Hospital & Nursing Home Pharmacy continues to implement new technologies. A majority of medications are provided through our hospital-wide automated Pyxis dispensing system. When possible, IV medications are purchased as pre-mixed, ready-to-use solutions. The Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Medical Staff are active participants in the development and maintenance of the hospital drug formulary.
To find out more about our InstyMeds Machine, please click here.
Dietary Services
Dietician services are provided for hospital inpatients, cardiac rehabilitation patients, and nursing home residents. Diet consultations with our registered dietician are available to hospital patients as needed. Through these educational sessions, our dietician will provide helpful information about combining new and old habits for changes that are livable. Cardiac rehab patients are seen as needed, or if they would like to review their needs in combining their previous habits with their current condition.
All nursing home residents are assessed by our dietician on admission and regularly throughout their stay to determine and monitor their nutritional needs and to suggest changes if indicated. The focus for our nursing home residents is adequate intake, as well as satisfaction with their meals.
Social Services
Rusk County Memorial Hospital provides a full-time, certified social worker to work directly with patients and their families to provide patient advocacy, resource information, and crisis intervention. Through collaboration and consultation with physicians, nurses and therapies, social services can aid the patient in utilizing health care services and resources in the treatment of an illness.
Services Include:
- Discharge Planning and Referrals
- Equipment Needs
- Home Care
- Meals on Wheels
- Assisted Living
- Nursing Home
- Swing Bed
- Patient Rights
- Concerns
- Insurance Benefits
- Advocacy Needs
- Advanced Directives
- Power of Attorney of Health Care
- Living Will
- Crisis Intervention
- Recognizing and Reporting of Abuse
- Bereavement Services