GENESEO, Illinois - The Hammond-Henry Hospital in Geneseo will see some big changes in their emergency room starting in January.
It’s been 25 years since the hospital has seen an update in the emergency room.
Everything needs a facelift in the ER – from the nurse’s station to the doorways.
“Currently they are pretty narrow, and we can’t even fit the carts through with the rails up,” says Elyse Wolf, ER Manager.
It’s so tight more than one nurse can’t fit in the same room.
“It’s just hard to start IV’s, do EKG’s, it’s really hard to have more than one staff member in here to get stuff done,” says Wolf.
The layout needs some work. Right now, nurses can’t keep an eye on all their patients from the nurse’s station. There are 10 rooms in the current ER layout, and nurses can only see half from the station.
But a $1.3 million renovation will be underway. The new space will have bigger – more private – patient rooms, a walk-in clinic, and a separate entrance for ambulances.
“This is going to bring our emergency room up to par with the rest of the facility,” says Laura Domino, VP of Patient Care Services.
A “safe room” will be added as well for patients with mental health and behavioral issues.
“Certain things just aren’t included, or they are covered with enclosures,” says Domino, “cords, call lights, just are not available to the patient that could be used as some sort of instrument for harm.”
All construction will begin in January and will last until August.
But after 25 years, they can handle these next 8 months.