Heart and Vascular Unit
Where Cardiac Nursing, Innovation, and Teamwork Converge
The Heart and Vascular Unit (HVU) is a 48-bed combined progressive care and telemetry medical-surgical cardiac unit located in the new Patient Pavilion. The unit spans three wings, each with 16 acuity-adaptable beds, including one wing dedicated exclusively to progressive cardiac care. Nurses care for patients across a wide spectrum of cardiac conditions in a modern, thoughtfully designed environment built to support collaboration and high-quality care.
A Nationally Respected Cardiovascular Program
Dartmouth Hitchcock’s cardiovascular program is rapidly growing and nationally recognized. With more than 600 open-heart surgeries performed annually and the best myocardial infarction outcomes in New England, nurses practice at the top of their license while making a measurable impact on patient lives. The HVU is expanding from 48 to 64 beds, reflecting continued growth and long-term investment in cardiac nursing.
Technology That Supports Excellent Care
Every room is private and equipped with in-room monitoring and computers. Nurses are supported by interactive digital communication screens, bedside patient iPads, and telehealth connections that provide additional nursing support when needed, ensuring care is efficient, informed, and patient-centered.
Heart and Vascular Unit
A Culture Built on Teamwork and Retention
What truly sets the HVU apart is its people. Leadership is stable, experienced, and deeply committed to a team-based model grounded in trust and collaboration. The unit lives by a simple motto: nobody sits until we all sit. Retention speaks for itself, with zero turnover in 2024, 33 new nurses hired in 2025, and strong success converting travel nurses into long-term team members.
Our New Patient Pavilion:
The new Patient Pavilion at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH opened in 2023, adding 64 additional single-patient rooms to our unique medical center. This beautiful Pavilion was built to be flexible and is adding 64 more rooms to meet our capacity needs. The 212,000-square-foot, five-story expansion helps address the increasing needs of various levels of acuity patients from around the region who require specialty and sub-specialty care to be cared for all in one place. Our nurses played an integral role in inspiring the design of the Patient Pavilion. Their insight and perspective have been applied to many elements of the space, such as a new education center, employee respite rooms, technology, and the overall layout.
In addition to a beautiful new hospital entrance, its opening will set in motion a series of moves, renovations, and technology enhancements, which will upgrade existing patient care units to our new standard. This state-of-the-art facility represents the next phase in Dartmouth Health’s evolution of patient- and family-centered care while enhancing collaboration across care teams and supporting the needs of our staff.
