Published in the Union Leader
Private hospital rooms are linked to many benefits — lower infection rates, greater comfort, more privacy, and, if all goes well, a shorter hospital stay. The benefits for a patient undergoing an elective procedure are magnified.
“We come in totally healthy because we do a lot of prep for the procedure,” says Denise Raymond who recently had a knee replaced at Catholic Medical Center (CMC). She was the first patient admitted to CMC’s new orthopedic unit.
“In a private room, I don’t have the fear of coming across an infection, which is a big risk with a joint replacement.”
According to a CMC news release, the hospital converted the unit last month to serve patients who are having elective orthopedic procedures. Ten private rooms are available for patients who are having total joint replacement or, in certain cases, spine surgery.
“When you’re having elective surgery, you can usually choose your surgical center,” says Crystal Fortin, RN, BSN, who is the new unit’s director. “It’s wonderful to be able to offer private rooms, not only from an infection standpoint, but also because the rooms are big, quiet, and family members can visit privately with the patient.”
“I slept really well, I only woke up for medications,” says Raymond, who went home after two nights. “There’s no other noise, there are special lights that dim so they don’t interrupt sleep and nobody else is coming in and out of the room to visit your roommate.”
The hospital also has private rooms for critical care and maternity patients, the news release states. It is currently planning to build an addition which would allow most rooms to be converted to single-patient rooms.
Fortin said her nursing staff is pleased with the care they’re able to provide on this kind of unit.
“All of the patients are going through the same thing,”” she says. “It’s allowed the team to hone in on their specialty and they’re excited about it.””
Raymond, who works as a certified pharmacy technician at CMC, agrees.
“This is a really good thing,” she said.
Photo: Denise Raymond, who recently had a knee replaced at Catholic Medical Center, was the first patient admitted to a new orthopedic unit.