Julia Libcke, CNO
McLaren Macomb, the 288-bed acute care hospital serving all of Macomb County, has opened a step down unit for patients who require an advanced level of care. Step down units provide an intermediate level of nursing care to patients who no longer require the level of care provided in an intensive care unit (ICU) but whose needs still demand additional nursing resources beyond a general medical-surgical nursing unit.
The opening of the step down unit will create more availability in the ICU, allowing McLaren Macomb physicians to care for more patients in need of its high level of treatment. It also provides a resource for patients in need of a higher level of care, but who do not meet ICU admission guidelines.
“The purpose of the ICU is to stabilize patients who are facing serious health challenges,” said Julia Libcke, McLaren Macomb chief nursing officer. “Even when they are stabilized, patients still require an elevated level of care from our staff. Opening this step down unit will allow our ICU to accept more patients with critical care need, while still providing an enhanced level of care to those patients who have moved from the ICU to the step down unit.”
Nine beds will be dedicated to the new step down unit and its level of care overseen by experienced McLaren Macomb clinical manager Matthew Cuddeback, with Katie Jenuwine as assistant clinical manager. Nurses on the unit completed specialized training to meet the specific needs of their patients.
McLaren Macomb has 24 beds dedicated to its intensive care unit, staffed by a team of physicians and nurses capable of providing treatment to patients as they begin to recover from serious medical conditions, such as stroke, heart attack, infections and respiratory failure among others.
To learn more about services and care at McLaren Macomb, visit mclaren.org/macomb.
About McLaren Macomb
McLaren Macomb is a 288-bed acute care hospital located in Mount Clemens, Mich. More than 400 physicians and nearly 2,000 employees work at McLaren Macomb making it one of Macomb County’s top employers. McLaren Macomb provides a full range of services, including cancer and cardiovascular care. As Macomb County’s first verified trauma center, the hospital operates the busiest emergency department in Macomb County and is also an accredited chest pain center. McLaren Macomb has a rich history of providing high quality, compassionate health care and holds a strong position in the community it serves. To learn more, visit mclaren.org/macomb or follow our blog mclaren.org/macombblog.
About McLaren Health Care
McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a fully integrated health network committed to quality, evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 490-member employed primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 620,000 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health and hospice providers, retail medical equipment showrooms, pharmacy services, and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan’s largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of only 49 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S. McLaren has 26,000 employees and more than 85,500 network providers. Its operations are housed in more than 350 facilities serving Michigan and Indiana.