Palomar Medical Center is located in Southern California in a city called Escondido. The city means "hidden" in Spanish. It lies about 18 miles inland, 100 miles south of Los Angeles, and 30 miles northeast of San Diego. PMC first opened in 1950 and only had 37 beds! The hospital has grown to a 319 bed facility, but continues to grow as the whole hospital will be relocating this year on August 19th. The new hospital will be called Palomar Medical Center West, and cost over $660 million dollars to build! Yes, it is quite impressive (Brad and I get a glimpse of it as we drive in to work), and as soon as I get a good picture I'll make sure I post one!PMC is a level-two trauma center with 32 ER beds (but only one trauma room...I don't get it). The ICU is a 36 bed unit comprised of 4 parts. On the 6th floor is the Medical/Surgical/Cardiac Unit, which makes up three parts. While there are 3 parts or sides, each side is not specific to a "patient-type", the patients are placed on whatever side has an open bed. The fourth part of the ICU is located on the third floor, near the ER, and is the Trauma ICU. I must say, I am quite impressed with the size of the ICU (especially compared to where I've been), and wish I could stick around just so I can see what it's like in the new hospital.
The views from the patients' rooms in the ICU still amaze me! I love looking out the window and seeing mountains, especially when the sun is setting!
Brad and I were both offered a contract extension after only being there for a month! Didn't know we were that good! ;) After discussing it for a bit, we decided to take the extension. The beach city we live in (which is about 20 minutes away from the hospital) is so nice, and we are enjoying being here, that we thought we should stay because it will be one awesome summer in SoCal!
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