Overview of Common Hospital Units: Nursing Guide

If you’re a nursing student, you probably know the feeling of wandering different hospital floors, not entirely sure where you are or how to get to where you need to be. This can be especially nerve-racking when you’re not clear on the names of hospital units or hospital departments. But remember, every healthcare professional has to learn this info at some point in their career.

What should you know if you’re preparing for one of your first clinical rotations in a hospital? For starters, here are some tips to follow:

The types of nursing units in a hospital correspond to the kinds of patients that the unit serves or the specialty services that are performed there. For example, a labor and delivery (L&D) unit cares for a population of patients who are giving birth. A general operating room (OR) may see a broader range of patients, but these patients are only there during the surgical period.

The numbers in front of the hospital floor names correspond to the level or floor on which they’re located. For example, let’s say your clinical rotation is on 6 North. If you can make your way to the 6th floor, you’ll be in the general vicinity and can likely ask for directions from there.

Even if you’re not on the floor where your clinical assignment is, always wear your ID badge. This is a security measure that ensures the safety of patients and other personnel.

Before you enter the hospital, check the facility website to learn more about the layout of different departments. You can usually learn how many units are in a hospital and where they are before stepping foot on campus.

Cheat Sheet of Hospital Units and Specialty Areas

Let’s go over the most common departments in a hospital and the hospital units’ abbreviations you should be aware of.

Emergency Department or Emergency Room (ED or ER)

The ED is where patients come when an unplanned, acute health problem occurs. This fast-paced department is trained to deal with a broad range of issues — from broken toes to motor vehicle accident trauma. Patients come to the ED either via emergency transportation or their own means of transportation. After being treated here, they are either discharged home or transferred to another unit for more care.

Clinicians who work in this area

• ER nurses
• Emergency medicine physicians and residents
• Nurse practitioners
• Physician assistants
• Paramedics
• Emergency medical technicians
• Respiratory therapists
• Pharmacists
• Nursing assistants

EDs may have more resources and advanced capabilities depending on their trauma designation. For example, you would expect to find a specialized emergency trauma unit in a hospital that’s designated as a Level I trauma facility. Specialty emergency departments may also include:

• Psychiatric emergency departments (Psych ED)
• Pediatric emergency departments (Peds ED)
• Emergency surgery
• Cardiac cath lab

For more insight, check out the latest ER jobs available now on IntelyCare.

Intensive Care Unit or Critical Care Unit (ICU or CCU)

The ICU and critical care units are where patients go for round-the-clock, high-level care due to life-threatening conditions. Problems you’ll see in this area may include respiratory failure, sepsis, post-operative complications, trauma, stroke, and many others. This is one of the few units where staff are trained to care for patients who are on ventilators, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and other advanced life support systems.

Patients typically arrive at the ICU from the ED, surgery, or other hospital units when their condition worsens. Patients who get better in the ICU are transferred to a lower level of care, such as a med-surg or an intermediate care unit.

Clinicians who work in this area:

• ICU nurses
• Intensivists (physicians who specialize in critical care)
• Critical care nurse practitioners
• Physician assistants
• Respiratory therapists
• Nursing assistants
• Physical and occupational therapists
• Dietitians

Depending on the size and specialization of the hospital, some ICUs are further divided into specialty critical care units, such as the following:

• Medical ICU (MICU)
• Surgical ICU (SICU)
• Cardiovascular ICU (CVICU)
• Neurological ICU (Neuro ICU)
• Pediatric ICU (PICU)
• Neonatal ICU (NICU)
• Surgical-Trauma ICU (STICU)

For more insight, check out the latest ICU jobs available now on IntelyCare.

Step-Down, Intermediate, and Progressive Care Units (PCU)

When patients don’t require quite the level of advanced care provided in an ICU, yet still need close monitoring, they may come to the step-down or progressive care unit (PCU) in a hospital. Patients in step-down hospital units may be recovering from surgery, managing chronic conditions, or experiencing complications that necessitate a higher level of observation and care.

Some step-down units are more commonly referred to by their specialty name, and they don’t always fall into neat categories. For example, a telemetry unit in a hospital might serve some patients who fall into the progressive care category, and others that could be considered med-surg, but all of these patients will need monitoring. The nurses and other staff that work in these areas may be cross-trained to manage intensive care needs along with more general medical problems.

Clinicians who work in this area:

• Progressive care registered nurses
• Hospitalists (physicians who provide care for general hospital patients)
• Intensivists
• Acute care nurse practitioners
• Physician assistants
• Respiratory therapists
• Clinical nurse specialists
• Pharmacists
• Social workers
• Nursing assistants

Depending on the facility’s size and capabilities, step-down hospital units may further specialize in certain areas:

• Cardiac step-down units (sometimes called telemetry units)
• Neurology step-down units
• Surgical step-down units
• Post-anesthesia care step-down units

For more insight, check out the latest PCU jobs available now on IntelyCare.

Medical-Surgical Unit (Med-Surg)

The medical-surgical unit is where patients receive care for conditions that are not critical enough to require intensive care but still need close medical attention. This versatile unit is the backbone of many hospitals, treating patients recovering from surgery, managing chronic illnesses, or dealing with acute medical issues like infections or heart conditions.

Med-surg is often a busy, high-turnover department. Patients who do well here are either discharged home or to another facility, such as rehabilitation or a skilled nursing facility. On the other hand, patients who become more sick may be transferred to the ICU or another specialty unit.

Clinicians who work in this area include:

• Med-surg nurses
• Hospitalists (physicians who provide care for general hospital patients)
• Acute care nurse practitioners
• Physician assistants
• Pharmacists
• Physical and occupational therapists
• Dietitians
• Respiratory therapists
• Nursing assistants
• Social workers and case managers

Depending on the size of the hospital, med-surg hospital units may be specialized in areas such as:

• Post-surgical units
• Orthopedic units
• Oncology units
• Infectious disease units
• Gastrointestinal units
• Respiratory units

For more insight, check out the latest med-surg jobs available now on Intelycare.

Operating Room (OR)

The operating room is part of a hospital’s surgical suite. Before an operation, patients go to pre-op to complete a pre-surgical checklist, get assessed, and have intravenous access inserted. From there, they go to the OR, where surgical procedures take place.

This is a highly controlled environment designed for precision and safety. At the same time, the surgical suite is fast-paced — large hospitals and surgical centers typically have several procedures occurring in different rooms simultaneously.

Clinicians who work in this area:

• Surgical nurses (sometimes called OR nurses)
• Surgeons
• Anesthesiologists
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs)
• Surgical technologists
• Anesthesia technicians and technologists
• Physician assistants
• Operating room assistants
• Nursing assistants
• Surgical residents and fellows

Some hospitals may have specialized operating rooms for specific types of surgery:

• Ambulatory or outpatient surgery (these patients are expected to be discharged afterward)
• Cardiac surgery
• Neurological surgery
• Orthopedic surgery
• Robotic surgery
• Transplant surgery
• Pediatric surgery
• Bariatric surgery
• Surgical oncology

For more insight, check out the latest OR jobs available now on IntelyCare.

Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)

A hospital PACU unit is the part of the surgical suite where patients go directly after surgery. The clinicians here are trained to stabilize patients before they are either transferred to a regular unit, ICU, or discharged home, depending on their recovery and the type of procedure they underwent. Patients in the PACU are closely monitored for complications like pain, nausea, breathing difficulties, or changes in vital signs.

Clinicians who work in this area:

• PACU nurses
• Anesthesiologists
• CRNAs
• Respiratory therapists
• Pharmacists
• Nursing assistants
• Surgeons (occasionally consult with PACU staff post-op)

In some facilities, there may be specialized post-anesthesia hospital units that correspond to specific surgical areas. These may include the following:

• Pediatric PACU
• Cardiovascular PACU
• Neurological PACU
• Same-day surgery recovery

For more insight, check out the latest PACU jobs available now on IntelyCare.

Labor and Delivery (L&D)

The labor and delivery unit is where patients come to give birth and receive care throughout the childbirth process. This unit is equipped to handle the various stages of labor, delivery, and immediate postpartum care. It’s a unique environment that combines moments of calm with high-intensity, critical care situations when complications arise.

Patients in L&D may have routine, uncomplicated births or may require emergency interventions, such as cesarean sections. The staff that work here have to be prepared for either possibility, as well as supporting family and other visitors.

Clinicians who work in this area:

• Labor and delivery nurses
• Obstetricians (physicians who specialize in obstetrics and gynecology)
• Certified nurse midwives (CNMs)
• Women’s health nurse practitioners
• Anesthesiologists and CRNAs
• Lactation consultants
• Doula support staff
• Nursing assistants
• Surgical technologists (for cesarean sections)

Some facilities may have specialized hospital units within L&D:

• High-risk obstetrics units
• NICU
• Newborn nursery
• Postpartum care units (sometimes called mother-baby units)
• Obstetric surgery suites
• Triage for labor evaluation

For more insight, check out the latest labor and delivery jobs available now on IntelyCare.

Pediatrics Unit (Peds)

This is a broad term for units that care for infants, children, and adolescents. In larger facilities and children’s hospitals, there is typically an entire wing or building that’s designed for pediatric patients. Smaller, more rural facilities may have a single unit for these patients.

Pediatric units are designed to provide a child-friendly environment with staff who are trained to meet the unique medical, emotional, and developmental needs of younger patients. The range of conditions treated can vary from common illnesses like respiratory infections to more complex diseases requiring long-term care, such as cancer or congenital disorders.

Clinicians who work in this area:

• Pediatric nurses
• Pediatricians (physicians who specialize in care for children)
• Neonatologists (physicians who specialize in care for newborns)
• Pediatric nurse practitioners
• Physician assistants
• Child life specialists
• Respiratory therapists
• Pharmacists
• Pediatric nursing assistants
• Social workers
• Physical, occupational, and speech therapists

Some hospitals may have further specialized pediatric units

• NICU
• PICU
• Pediatric oncology units
• Pediatric surgery units
• Pediatric psychiatric units

For more insight, check out the latest pediatric jobs available now on IntelyCare.

Psychiatric Unit (Psych)

Psych units are for patients who are experiencing mental health crises, and they can be admitted of their own accord or involuntarily. Patients here may be suffering from suicidal ideation, schizophrenia, mood disorders, and more. The environment is structured to ensure patient safety and support stabilization through a combination of medical interventions and therapeutic care.

While psychiatric patients need acute support, their medical needs are typically more limited. Psych units are equipped to administer many medications and perform basic procedures, but their focus is on mental health care. If patients on these units require a higher level of medical care, they are typically transported to one of the units above.

Clinicians who work in psychiatric units:

• Psychiatric nurses
• Substance abuse nurses
• Nutrition nurses
• Psychiatrists (physicians who specialize in mental health)
• Psychiatric nurse practitioners
• Licensed clinical social workers
• Mental health technicians
• Psychologists
• Occupational therapists

Some hospitals may further specialize in the following psychiatric units:

• Child and adolescent psychiatry units
• Substance use treatment units
• Crisis stabilization units
• Eating disorder treatment units

For more insight, check out the latest psychiatric jobs available now on IntelyCare.

Seeking a Role in One of These Hospital Units?

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