Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, TX –
A few days after having a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open
the new Close Observation Bay at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research
Burn Center Progressive Care Unit at Joint
Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, burn patients were
admitted to put the new capability into action.
The new observation bay will be overseen by two nurses
around the clock and will serve as a step-down unit for the Burn Intensive Care
Unit, where patients will be closely monitored and provided care when needed.
Andrew Wallace said, the PCU assistant officer in charge,
the COB is designed for burn patients who require the most care and monitoring
in the unit, but do not need to be admitted to the Burn Intensive Care Unit.
“It means that we can keep the sickest patient in one
location to be managed and cared for by a separate team of nurses,” Wallace
said.
Sixteen nurses from the PCU volunteered to be assigned
full-time to the COB. Wallace also stated that the COB is not only beneficial
to the patients but to the entire staff as well.
“The nurses in the COB will be able to provide more complex
burn care and treatment that is not normally provided in the PCU thus
increasing their knowledge and skillset,” he said.
The other benefit is that nurses who are caring for the
other patients in the PCU can concentrate on discharging patients and providing
education to them and their families on burn care and treatment at home.
“This means that we can give them more information on how to
adapt to their lives with their burns and show them how to care for their
wounds,” Wallace said. “We also let them know what they can expect in regards
to the short and long term care for their injuries.”
Wallace added that designing the COB was a team effort
involving the burn center leadership and the PCU staff that will be an overall
cost-saving measure.
“It costs more for patients to stay in the BICU,” Wallace
said. “We’re not only helping to keep costs down, but we’re also helping
patients transition into the PCU which shows progression. This lets them know that there’s light at the
end of the tunnel and they’ll be going home soon.”