Intermediate Care Unit
Intermediate Care Unit (5 Merle Norman Pavilion)
UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center
1250 16th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90404
(424) 259-9540
About Our Unit
Thank you for trusting us with you or your loved one's care. The 5 MNP Intermediate Care Unit provides comprehensive care to patients with acute needs for continuous cardiac monitoring, pulse oximetry monitoring or ventilator assistance. We are committed to providing excellent, patient-centered care with teamwork and compassion. Our multidisciplinary team includes physicians, nurses, case managers and discharge planners, as well as dieticians, physical, speech and respiratory therapists, clinical social workers and spiritual advisors. Team members work together to provide optimal outcomes supported by cutting edge medical science, technology and exceptional nursing care.
About Your Care
We provide culturally sensitive patient and family focused care, tailoring our approach to meet the specific needs of each patient and family. Our goal is to return you to your previous level of health as soon as possible. As a result, we begin planning your discharge as soon as you are admitted to our unit.
Please identify a family member or friend to serve as an advocate for your care and who will provide transportation home when you are discharged. We will educate your advocate about your care, medications and any additional treatment or equipment you may need.
What to Expect During Your Stay
Each day, your nurse will review your plan of care, including the scheduling of any tests or procedures, medications, meals, rest time, sleep needs and your overall comfort. For your safety, your nurse will check your identification bracelet before administering any medications. When the shift ends, your nurse and the incoming nurse will exchange information at your bedside so you can ask questions and participate in your plan of care.
Noise Reduction
During your hospital stay, you may encounter unavoidable noise from the beeping of cardiac monitors, medical equipment in hallways or the conversations of a roommate. We want to make your stay as comfortable as possible and will provide a "comfort pack" of earplugs and a sleeping mask at your request. If you encounter noises you believe can be reduced, including conversations at our nursing station, a roommate's television or noisy outdoor equipment, please let us know. We strive to provide a healing, comfortable environment and will do our best to reduce noise levels.
Visitor Guidelines
- Visitors can be good medicine. We encourage family and friends to visit, but request that you respect the comfort and confidentiality of other patients by limiting visitors to two at a time and keeping noise levels to a minimum.
- Visitors are asked to leave during tests and treatments and during "nurse-patient connection time" on each shift.
- Some of our rooms are semi-private. Due to space constraints, we do not allow overnight visitors. Children under the age of 18 are only permitted with a supervising parent or adult and may not be left unattended.
- To minimize the risk of infection, friends and family members who are sick are asked to postpone visits until their symptoms clear.
- Please refrain from touching any medical equipment or using the restrooms in patients' rooms. Visitor restrooms are available in the hallway near the elevators.
Useful Information
Our Hospital Staff
Healthcare team members are distinguishable by the color of their scrubs:
Navy Blue ............. Registered Nurses
Olive Green .......... Patient Care Partners
Gray .................... Administrative Partners
Team members from other departments also wear uniforms specific to their specialty. All staff members should wear identification badges with their name and photo properly displayed.
Your safety and Security
We do hourly rounds to attend to patients' needs, comfort and safety. Our team members will check identification bracelets before administering any medication, treatment or procedure.
Food services
Patients who have their physicians' permission can order meals from our Signature Dining menu between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. by calling ext. 96600. Food orders are delivered within 45 minutes.
Personal items
We provide clear, plastic "personal care" cases for safekeeping of dentures, contacts, eyeglasses and hearing aids. All other personal belongings, such as clothing, jewelry and home medications, should be sent home with a family member or friend to avoid loss or interference with medical procedures.
Internet access
Wireless-enabled Internet service is available in your room. Please ask your nurse for assistance or dial "0" for the hospital operator to request access code information.
ATM Machine
There is a 24-hour ATM available in the hallway outside our cafeteria.
Interpreters
We have interpreters for a wide range of foreign languages. If you need interpreter services, please ask your nurse to make the arrangements through our Nursing Office.
Cell Phone Use
Visitors are asked to limit cell phone use to the patient's room and to avoid talking on cell phones in the hallways.
Gift Shop
Staffed by volunteers, the hospital Gift Shop is open daily to serve the needs of patients and their visitors. The shop has gift items, clothing, jewelry, magazines, greeting cards, candy, toiletries, flowers and plants. The Gift Shop phone number is ext. 99922.
Quick Reference Guide
Unit Director/Manager
Vera I. Lopez, MSN, RN, PCCN
(424) 259-8232
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Patricia Sheehan, MN, RN, CNS
(424) 259-8234
Assistant Managers
Molly Samuel, MS, RN, PCCN
(424) 259-8235
Sangyoung Yu-Choi, MSN, RN, PCCN
(424) 259-8233
On-Duty Charge Nurse
(424) 259-9544
Medical Director
Roger M. Lee, MD
Patient Affairs
(424) 259-9120