Blake 12 Intensive Care Unit

The Blake 12 Intensive Care Unit cares for acutely and critically ill surgical, neurological, medical and transplant patients.

Surgical, neurological, medical and transplant patients receive around-the-clock care in the 18-bed Blake 12 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Massachusetts General Hospital. Under the leadership of Medical Director Jarone Lee, MD, and Nursing Director Mary Elizabeth McAuley RN, MS, a collaborative, multidisciplinary team of health professionals provide patient- and family-centered care of the highest quality to acutely and critically ill patients.

The Team

The Blake 12 team endorses a collaborative approach to patient-centered care. The multidisciplinary team includes:

• Acute care nurse practitioners
• More than 60 registered nurses
• Clinical nurse specialist
• Fellows
• Residents
• Clinical pharmacists
• Social workers and case managers
• Respiratory, physical, occupational and speech therapists
• Clinical nutritionists
• Chaplains
• Critical care technicians
• Operation associates
• Unit service associates

Patients and their families complete the team by participating in discussions and decisions around goals, treatment options and plans. We build a plan of care around the patient and his/her family that is consistent, coordinated, efficient and responsive.

Attending physicians with qualifications and credentials in critical care rotate for 24-hour coverage of the Blake 12 ICU, alongside the nursing staff. These surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses are complemented by specialists in neurology, orthopaedics, emergency medicine and other subspecialties.

What to Expect

Blake 12 staff work with emergency and trauma patients and their families to familiarize them with the ICU. We strive toward excellence in communication and to meet the changing needs of our patients. We are committed to ensuring a quiet, clean environment of care. Length of stay in the unit varies, depending on the complexity of the surgical procedure and the patient’s condition, but in all cases, patients and their families are part of all decisions affecting their care. Patients are typically discharged to their home, a rehabilitation facility, or a general care floor within Mass General.

World-renowned Trauma Center

Mass General is a top New England trauma center sought out by patients around the world who require complex surgeries. Surgical patients admitted through Mass General’s Emergency Department receive a continuum of care through surgery, intensive care and transition to a general care floor or rehabilitation. Attending physicians in the Blake 12 ICU provide individual patient care from the Emergency Department admission through discharge.

The Next Generation of Surgical Intensivists

Surgical critical care and trauma research fellows-in-training and residents rotate through Blake 12, where attending physicians organize lectures and provide mentoring and instruction. Nurses and nurse practitioners receive extensive critical care orientation as well as ongoing education to promote evidence-based practice. Specialty certifications and professional development are supported at the unit and organizational levels.