by Matt Batcheldor
The 10 South floor of Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital (VUAH) has reopened as the Trauma Stepdown Unit.
The 17-bed unit provides care for trauma stepdown patients. A stepdown unit is an intermediate level of care for patients who do not require intensive care but need a higher level of care than general patient floors. The Trauma Intensive Care Unit is located on 10 North, allowing both acute trauma patients and stepdown trauma patients to be on the same floor.
The opening is part of a long-planned service realignment in the adult hospital. Previously, trauma stepdown patients were located in 10 North with acute trauma patients and were relocated to other areas of the hospital if acute patients needed the beds.
“Opening 10 South as trauma stepdown allows us to co-locate patients near the trauma unit for increased efficiency for faculty and staff,” said Teresa Hobt-Bingham, MSN, RN, NE-BC, administrative director of Nursing at VUAH. “It also keeps families in familiar territory as trauma waiting is on the same unit. Each year, we see an increased number of trauma patients. This unit will allow us to serve them in an environment reserved just for this patient population. We are very pleased to be able to provide care for 17 patients on this refreshed unit.”
