A new tool to help orientate and educate families whose loved ones are in the intensive care unit can be accessed in the palm of the hand.
Nebraska Medicine and UNMC staff collaborated to produce a video tour of the intensive care unit that can be accessed through the Nebraska Medicine app.
The new ICU Tour was started as a way to help connect families who are unable to visit their loved one due to COVID-19 visitor restrictions, and alleviate concerns and provide reassurance that the unit is providing “Serious Medicine. Extraordinary Care.” However, the tour provides such valuable information to families that it is sure to be used even as restrictions are lifted.
“Our goal is to provide families with an interactive orientation to the ICU environment – sights, sounds, and processes in order to enhance their caregiver experience and help them gain a better understanding of what is happening to their loved one,” said Breanna Hetland, PhD, assistant professor in the UNMC College of Nursing and critical care nurse scientist for the ICU.
Families who want to learn more about the care environment in the ICU can simply download the Nebraska Medicine app on their Apple or Android device to get started.
The ICU care team is encouraged to discuss the ICU tour with families to help arm them with knowledge as their loved one is hospitalized.
To access the virtual tour:
- Step 1: Download the Nebraska Medicine app and click “Continue as Guest”
- Step 2: Follow the link to the ICU tour
- Step 3: Explore the tour