Helipad and Soothing Scenes Debut at Manatee Memorial

Curtains featuring "life-size" scenes of the ocean, sand and palm trees offer a calming environment for patients recovering from surgery in the 16-bay Recovery Room.

We're proud to announce new developments at Manatee Memorial Hospital that will enhance our emergency services and help keep our patients and their families more comfortable.

Direct Flights Mean Quicker Care
Just outside the Emergency Department, we've built a new helipad to ease the transport of critically ill and injured patients. "Previously, medical helicopters had to land further away, and patients were transferred into an ambulance for the brief ride to the hospital," says Linda Antes, RN, Director of Critical Care and Emergency Services. "Now, it's a few short steps from the helipad to the hospital."

We've also updated the Emergency Department waiting area with a fresh coat of paint, new furniture and even a small cafe area with vending machines and a table. "It's now a more comfortable, pleasant room," Antes says. "Last year, we treated more than 60,000 emergency patients. We expect that number to increase, so we're always looking for ways to improve our services for patients and their families."

Soothing Vistas for Surgical Patients
A more calming environment awaits patients recovering from surgery in the 16-bay Recovery Room. The plain privacy curtains that used to separate each bay have been replaced with new curtains that feature "life-size" scenes of the ocean, sand and palm trees — the next best thing to a window overlooking the beach.

The curtains were the brainchild of Maria Kendall, RN, Recovery Room Manager. "Giving patients something beautiful to focus on helps diminish feelings of stress, pain and discomfort and can actually lower blood pressure," she says. "I had done research on which colors were most calming and decided that a nature scene would be even more peaceful. Many patients have commented on how lovely and calming these curtains are."

Another update from a patient's point of view: a new row of ceiling tiles along the hallway that leads from the operating rooms to the Recovery Room. The tiles are superimposed with photos of a bright blue sky with fluffy clouds, giving patients something to focus on as they're being transported from one area to the next.

"You might not notice the tiles if you're just walking down the hall," Kendall says. "But if you're lying on your back on a gurney, they may be the only thing you see, or the first thing you see as you wake from anesthesia. They can make those moments a little more pleasant."

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206 Second Street East, Bradenton, FL 34208 941-746-5111 FAX: 941-745-6862