Ribbon-Cutting For New ‘U’ Kids Hospital

April 26, 2011 6:52 AM

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The new University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital is about to begin accepting patients.

A ribbon-cutting celebrating the new hospital is scheduled Tuesday in Minneapolis. The hospital opens on Saturday.

The new, 275,000-square-foot building has 96 private, acute-care rooms as well as medical/surgical units, a pediatric intensive care unit and a 24-hour children’s emergency department.

On Saturday, ambulances will transport dozens of pediatric patients to the new hospital. The goal is to move one patient every five minutes — that could take up to six hours.

Sam I am.

Congrats. Amplatz is a great hospital.
Hosptial Shopping

We have a child with brain cancer and have been going to the U of M hospital for 18 months. We are in for several days a month, and every hour of every day with our child is important.

We were suprised that the new spacious rooms in the PICU are “specifically” furnished (we’ve been told) to allow only one parent to stay over night. Even the family lounges have only straight back chairs and very short love-seats not made for sleeping. For us–too close to stay at Ronald McD house, yet an hour away from door to door, this is not a realistic option. Our son needs us, and we need to be with him, period.

There are legitimate reasons for not allowing patient rooms to become hotel rooms, however, there is ample room in the PICU rooms for two recliners or the existing sleeper-chair and a recliner–every medical staff (nurses, docs) we’ve talked to agree.

Whoever made this decision has never had a sick kid, or simply doesn’t care about parents with sick kids.

Otherwise, the parking is nice!