UCHealth opens renovated wing at Poudre Valley Hospital

Space includes new progressive care unit and new home for cardiac care.
By:
Aug. 21, 2020
Nurse walks down hallway. A navigational sign on the wall points to new cardiac unit and new progressive care unit in the newly renovated wing of PVH..
A UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital nurse walks down a hallway in a newly renovated wing at PVH shortly before the arrival of the first patients. The wing includes a new progressive care unit and a new space for the hospital’s cardiac unit. Both units opened on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020. Photo by Kelly Tracer / UCHealth.

UCHealth is expanding critical care services at Poudre Valley Hospital (PVH) with a renovated wing that opened Aug. 20.

Nurses look at computer monitors in the newly renovated wing of PVH.
UCHealth nurse Tera Schneiders goes over information with nurse manager Lydia Baldwin as they prepare for the opening of PVH’s new progressive care unit. Nurses Amy Jackson and Lauren Walters, in the background, work with other nurses on final logistics. Photo by Kelly Tracer / UCHealth.

The 14,109-square-foot space on the fourth floor includes two units: a cardiac unit and a progressive care unit.

“Both of these units were thoughtfully designed to provide enhanced patient care and an exceptional patient experience,” said PVH chief nursing officer Julie Nunley. “Every room features advanced technology that will also provide an additional layer of safety for our patients.”

Four nurses stand in front of the entrances to the hospital's new progressive care unit and cardiac unit in the newly renovated wing at PVH.
From left, nurses Amber Zager, Alissa Odonkor, Charge Nurse Zach Karn and ICU/PCU Nurse Manager Lydia Baldwin stand at the entrance of the new cardiac and progressive care units at PVH. Photo by Robert Allen / UCHealth.

The 12-room progressive care unit is a new unit for PVH. It is considered a step between medical/surgical unit and the intensive care unit. The unit’s nurses will care for patients “coming up” the acuity scale, possibly to move on to intensive care, as well as others “coming down” from an ICU on their way to a medical/surgical room. Many of these patients need a little more monitoring and the specialized skills of a critical care team than the patients on the medical/surgical unit.

The 12-room cardiac unit, previously on the fifth floor, occupies the other half of the newly renovated wing at PVH. The new home for cardiac care complements the hospital’s full array of cardiac services, which includes a new second cardiac catheterization lab that opened on the first floor earlier this year. The second cath lab has boosted the hospital’s capacity to treat patients with emergencies such as heart attacks when immediate care is needed to diagnose and clear blocked arteries. It also has enabled UCHealth to offer certain electrophysiology procedures in Fort Collins for the first time.

UCHealth registered nurse Liana Leyendecker walks out of one of the new cardiac unit patient rooms after stocking the room with all of the supplies that will be needed to care for patients. Photo by Kelly Tracer / UCHealth.

Both units will be connected to the UCHealth Virtual Health Center in metro Denver, which monitors patients’ status remotely 24/7 and analyzes vital signs and other data to detect potential complications early. This allows collaboration of care with the PCU nurse directly caring for the patient, with the Virtual Health Center’s nurse providing that additional layer of safety.

This virtual technology was made possible through the generous support of the UCHealth Northern Colorado Foundation, according to Nunley.

nurse pushes down a cart in the newly renovated wing of PVH.
UCHealth nursing assistant DeAnna Rieck helps to put final pieces into the patient rooms of the new cardiac unit at PVH. Kelly Tracer / UCHealth.

“Philanthropic investment from grateful patients and community members allows us to provide leading-edge technology to ensure that we can bring the most innovative, comprehensive care to northern Colorado,” said Erica Siemers, the Foundation’s regional executive director.

This is the latest in a series of renovations that have happened at PVH in recent years. The other completed projects include a new neonatal intensive care unit, emergency department, orthopedics unit and inpatient rehabilitation unit.

Nurse assistant looks for supplies in supply room in the newly renovated wing at PVH.
UCHealth nursing assistant Ian Schofield checks on cardiac supplies in a supply room of the newly renovated wing at PVH shortly before the opening. Photo by Kelly Tracer / UCHealth.
cardiac electrophysiology Electrophysiology Heart and vascular care heart attack care Heart failure structural heart and valve care UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital vascular disease care

About the author

Kelly Tracer is a media relations specialist at UCHealth, based in northern Colorado. For nearly 20 years, she worked as a newspaper reporter, editor and designer before diving into the world of health care communications.

She believes there is an amazing story inside everyone and considers it an honor to get to meet and work with so many extraordinary people – patients, families, providers, volunteers and staff – every day. She is also fascinated by health care innovation and programs that empower and inspire people and families to live healthier lives.

A native of Nebraska, Kelly received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. She and her husband have two children and enjoy paddle boarding all summer and skiing all winter.