St. James Healthcare

Inpatient Care

Though it’s nice to go home the same day as treatment, sometimes you may need to be admitted to the hospital for observation or ongoing care due to injury, illness or surgery. Our inpatient care team is ready to provide the general medical care and intensive care you need and make you as comfortable as possible.

What to expect when admitted to our hospitals

When you need to stay overnight or longer at one of our hospitals, you can expect:

  • Around-the-clock compassionate care
  • Enjoyable and healthy meals prepared by our nutritional services staff
  • Access to spiritual care services, which can serve as a source of support, guidance, companionship and hope, no matter your religious belief

Depending on your injury or condition, you may receive treatment from a range of departments, such as:

  • Cardiac rehabilitation – Care for patients recovering from heart surgery. You may work with specialists such as physical therapists, dietitians and exercise physiologists.
  • Inpatient rehabilitation – Care for patients who have suffered a stroke, spinal cord injury, brain injury or other traumas and disorders.
  • Intensive care unit (ICU) – Care for patients with serious, life-threatening injuries or conditions. Doctors and nurses in our ICUs receive special training to provide this critical care.
  • Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) – Care for newborn babies who require 24-hour monitoring for conditions such as premature birth and other complications. We offer Level III NICUs at several of our locations.
  • Surgical unit – Care for patients who have had a surgical procedure.

What to expect in the ICU

Intensive care patients need time to rest and heal. You can visit your loved one as their condition allows, but please respect our ICU rules to make sure every patient can rest peacefully and safely:

  • Check with the nurses’ desk before entering a patient’s room
  • Cell phone use is prohibited
  • Young children often are not admitted to our ICUs for patient health reasons
  • Keep conversations quiet
  • No food or drink in the patient care area
  • Only two visitors are allowed at a time

You may hear alarms and bells from medical machines in the intensive care unit. There’s no need to be concerned. These audio cues tell our intensive care team that they need to perform routine treatment for patients. If the person you’re visiting needs care, you’ll be asked to leave the room to protect their privacy.

Additional information is available in the visitor waiting room and patients’ rooms. If you have questions, please ask one of the nurses.

ICU visiting hours

Our ICUs have set visiting hours that allow family members to visit loved ones and give them emotional support. Because of the sensitive nature of intensive care, some locations allow only immediate family members to visit to maintain patient privacy. Other family members and loved ones must wait outside of the intensive care unit.

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