The ventilator-care program at Rockcastle Regional Hospital is more than 28 years old and continues to sustain excellence ... and is still growing. Nurse Sherry Saylor has worked at Rockcastle Regional Hospital and Respiratory Care Center since 1993. As Nursing Coordinator for South Unit B, the newest addition to the Respiratory Care Center, she is entering one of the most exciting times in her professional career. "I'm very excited about the expansion to our Respiratory Care Center," said Sherry. "I love working at Rockcastle because of the residents. Now I'll have 14 more people in my family."

The new unit of the Respiratory Care Center has been a 22 month project to turn nearly 11,000 square feet of office space into livable space for 14 ventilator-dependent residents. The $1.2 million renovation includes: seven semi-private resident rooms; a dayroom for dining, television and activities; a kitchen and laundry area for assisted daily living activities; nurses station; and a resident personal area for therapy and personal care. The new unit should open for residents the first week of November.

The 14 bed addition brings the bed count to 93. "There is a need for us to have more beds for ventilator-dependent patients. Our current 79 beds are often at capacity with a waiting list," said Stephen Estes, Rockcastle Regional President and CEO. "Our 14-bed addition is good news for Rockcastle and surrounding counties and the entire Commonwealth." The new unit creates 45 more licensed and skilled jobs for citizens of Rockcastle County and Kentucky. "The hospital continues to drive local economy in the middle of a bleak economic downturn," Estes said.

The first ventilator dependent resident was admitted in 1981 to a 32-bed unit. I 1991, 28 additional beds were added and in 2006 an additional 19 beds. The Respiratory Care Center at Rockcastle Regional has become one of the largest ventilator programs in the nation. It is the largest Kentucky nonprofit nursing facility treating adult and pediatric ventilator-dependent patients. Patient referrals extend across the Commonwealth of Kentucky into 28 additional states.

Rockcastle Regional Hospital & Respiratory Care Center's facilities recently were awarded re-accreditation from the Joint Commission. This includes the hospital, longterm ventilator care program, home health and Medical Arts building. The Joint Commission is dedicated to continuously improving the safety and quality of the nation's health care through voluntary accreditation. A non-profit organization, the Joint Commission has become a world leader in fairly and objectively evaluating and accrediting healthcare organizations aroundthe country.