Departments

Care Coordination

It is the goal at Mid Coast hospital that all inpatients will be followed by a Care Coordinator who is an RN. The care coordinators are responsible for reviewing each patient’s medical needs and ensuring that patients with certain diagnoses have specific treatments that are monitored and evaluated by The Center for Medicare Services.

They also work with the patients and family members to anticipate what arrangements will be needed when the patient is medically stable and ready to leave the hospital. They assist in the facilitation of a safe discharge plan with appropriate follow-up and support, so that the patients and their families will have a successful transition.

They are a constant in the patient’s care, providing ongoing support and advocacy, and helping patients and their families cope during their period of acute illness.

Social Services

The Case Management Department is also comprised of licensed social workers. They respond to the emotional needs of patients by providing support during their hospitalization, helping them to cope and adjust through the acute phase of their illness. They are available to assist with financial needs, legal issues, finding alternative living arrangements, end of life issues and crisis situations.

Utilization Review

Utilization Review Nurses are another part of the Case Management team. The UR nurses advocate for the appropriate level of care for each patient. This can involve daily contact with payers including insurance companies as well as Medicare/Maine Care. Should any services be denied by insurers, the UR nurses pro-actively initiate the appeal process.

Radiology nurses assess and educate patients before, during, and after procedures. They also monitor patients having invasive procedures such as CT-guided lung biopsies, ultrasound-guided liver or renal biopsies, and interventional radiology procedures such as uterine artery embolization and vertebroplasty.

Radiology nurses keep up to date with evidence-based practices through the Association for Radiologic & Imaging Nursing (ARIN). In addition, many of Mid Coast Hospital’s Diagnostic Imaging nurses have obtained the Certified Radiology Nurse (CRN) credential.

To ensure that computer specialists understand the needs of our front-line personnel, Mid Coast Hospital's Information Services department has a registered nurse serving as a Clinical Application Specialist.

The Information Services department is also involved with the hospital's Health Information System vendor at the national level and advocates for the needs of users and patients at Mid Coast Hospital.

Our staff of nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists and other medical support personnel provides special around-the-clock attention for patients with life-threatening conditions, providing peace of mind for patients and their families.

Each room is equipped with state-of-the-art monitoring equipment to provide constant surveillance of the ever-changing needs of the patient in the ICU.

In addition to our high tech side, we strive to meet the human and caring needs of our patients and families. Each room in the ICU is equipped with a message board that lists all nurses and other staff who are responsible for the patient’s care each day, along with any procedures or tests that the patient will be undergoing. This allows family to be aware of what is happening and provides a basis for interactions with the patient and the hospital staff.

Many of the ICU nurses hold advanced certifications in Critical Care Nursing.

Mid Coast Hospital nurses attend all births, provide support and care to mothers, babies and family members, and provide a full complement of patient education including traditional and holistic childbirth preparation, lactation, infant massage, and siblings classes. In addition, we have full-time lactation services for both inpatients and outpatients provided by certified lactation consultants.

The Maternity unit has a Hotline staffed by nurses, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for any questions. We also offer support groups and classes.

Many of the nurses hold national and/or international advanced certifications in Maternal/Newborn Nursing, Inpatient Obstetrics, Infant Massage, Lactation, Child Birth Education, and Holistic Child Birth Education. Several of our nursing staff hold multiple certifications.

We conduct on-going patient education regarding medications, new diagnoses, and self-care.

Each room is equipped with a message board that lists all nurses and other staff who are responsible for the patient’s care each day, along with any procedures or tests that the patient will be undergoing during the day. This allows family to be aware of what is happening and provides a basis for interactions with the patient and the hospital staff.

Several of our nurses hold advanced certifications in Medical/Surgical Medicine, Oncology, Hospice/Palliative Care and Emergency Medicine. Mid Coast Hospital's Cancer Care Program is certified through the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.

Operating Room

The OR nurses are an integral part of the OR team and work closely with the surgeon and the anesthesiologist to care for the patient undergoing surgery. Our OR nurses are excellent at helping to calm nervous patients, understanding that the OR can be frightening for some patients.

When your surgery is completed, the anesthesiologist and the OR nurse will take you to the PACU (post anesthesia care unit or “recovery room”) where a PACU nurse will closely monitor your condition until you are ready to return to your room.

Ambulatory Care/Day Surgery

After arrival and check-in with the receptionist, each patient is escorted to a private room by one of the nurses.

Your nurse will verify important information with you including name, date of birth, surgeon and procedure. Preparation for surgery will take place in this area with site scrubs and I.V. insertions being performed by your nurse. The nurse will also review educational needs and discharge plans, and answer any questions you or your family may have.

Digestive Health Center

This suite of rooms is used for performing colonoscopies and endoscopies. During your procedure, your nurse remains with you at all times and closely monitors your vital signs and your level of sedation.

Many of the nurses who work in Surgical Services hold advanced certifications in Perioperative (during surgery) Nursing and/or Gastroenterological Nursing.