St. Mary’s CDU Admissions Criteria

NOTE: Criteria used for admissions will evolve as St. Mary’s CDU grows and we make adjustments to our patient populations/diagnoses. This version reflects changes through Oct. 1, 2025. If you would like access to a live document with regularly updated admission criteria, please email Lindsay Mayhugh, CDU Manager.

CDU Eligible

• Age 12 and up (as of Oct. 1)

• Length of stay less than 48 hours

• Further workup and/or treatment required and/or diagnosis unclear

• Post procedure/OR patients with extended recovery >3 hours (post phase 1)

Must fit the criteria of observation or outpatient in a bed status (no inpatient status or ED).
Pediatric patients should not have complex medical, developmental, or behavioral needs.

Generally Not CDU Eligible

• Severe sepsis, septic shock, neutropenia

• Severe metabolic disturbance

• Patients in palliative or hospice care/comfort care

• Alcohol intoxication or w/d requiring medical management

• NA 122 or >150, K <2.5 or >6.0, Glu >600, Mg <1.4

• Initial BiTE therapy admission from Oncology

• Drug dependence or acute psychiatric disorder

• Altered mental status of unclear etiology (e/g hepatic encephalopathy, CVA, sepsis, etc.)

• Bariatric surgery patients (Sleeve Gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y bypass, BPD/DS, Adjustable gastric banding)

• GI bleed on anticoagulation and/or hemodynamic instability

• Acute respiratory failure (no BiPAP)

• Post cath femoral access

• TIA w/ persistent neuro deficit and/or NIHSS >4 (effective Oct. 1; previously >2.)

• Patients only awaiting placement by Case Management

• DKA

• Patients with active or suspected C. diff

Medications Good to Go:

• Diltiazem

• Nitroglycerin

• Herparin

• Lidocaine (pain relief dosage)

• Ativan (IVP only)

• Metoprolol

• Diazepam

• Midazolam (IVP only)

• Vit K (IV piggyback only)

• Potassium (IV piggyback only)

• Propranolol

• Digoxin

• DDAVP (pre procedure IVPB only)

Medications No Go:

• Octreotide

• Vasoactive gtt (Nicardipine, Nitroprusside, Norepinephrine, Phenylephrine, Vasopressin)

• Amiodarone

• Propofol

• Precedex

• Epinephrine

• Etomidate

• Ketamine

• Phenobarbital gtt

• Rocuronium

• Moderate sedation and anesthesia

• Succinylcholine

• Tenecteplase (TNK)

• Vecuronium

• Dopamine

• Dobutamine

• Chemotherapy

Contact Information

We welcome your feedback. If you have questions or concerns, or if you identify any patient populations or admitting diagnoses that you believe would be a good fit for the CDU, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Lindsay Mayhugh or Sara Taylor, CDU Director.

We remain committed to exploring innovative ways to support our patients, our providers, and the hospital as a whole. Thank you again for your ongoing partnership and collaboration.