The Medical-Surgical Unit is where most patients spend the night at Memorial Hospital. On the unit we serve adults and children who are hospitalized to receive medicines and treatments or who are staying for recovery from surgical procedures. Our unit has up to 36 beds of which most are semiprivate. Private rooms are also available.

Our nursing staff has a wide variety of training and experience. Because we treat everyone from infants to elderly patients, we encourage our nurses to be lifelong learners along with taking classes in current medical procedures and technology. Nurses on "Med-Surg" work with many other professionals including doctors, social workers, dietitians, pharmacists and physical, occupational and speech therapists, and respiratory therapists in developing a plan for care to fit each individual patient.

Although Memorial Hospital's nurses manage highly technical and complex care situations, it is often the nurse's kind word, gentle touch, calming smile, or silent presence that make a real difference to our patients.

Nursing care is based upon respect for the dignity and worth of every individual. We believe that each patient has the right to receive quality care based on individual needs and age. Patients and their families are involved in establishing priorities for care that best meet their needs. Education about health maintenance is available on both an inpatient and outpatient basis.

Professionalism, caring, flexibility, and a commitment to continuous improvement are key qualities of our nursing staff. Changes in health care technology, new nursing career opportunities, advances in treatment options, and increasingly informed consumers have significantly changed the role of nurses over the past several decades. Staff regularly participate in educational activities to maintain competence, gain new knowledge and develop advanced skills. Numerous nursing staff have achieved national certification in their specialty and are recognized experts in their field.

The goals of the medical surgical unit staff are high... to provide efficient, quality, individualized and comprehensive nursing care to all patients.