Intensive Care Unit

OUR UNIT

Admission to ICU can be very stressful for both patient and family. Our nurses and doctors appreciate you may have many concerns and wish to make your experience as easy as possible.

WHAT TO EXPECT

• We are a 19 bed Intensive Care Unit
• Be prepared to see lots of lines, tubes, wires & monitoring equipment.
• Monitors have alarms that signal when something needs to be checked BUT are not always a cause for concern, a slight movement may trigger an alarm.
• The patient will be unable to speak if on a ventilator but feel free to touch and talk to your loved one.
• To prevent spread of infection wash your hands when entering & leaving the room, antimicrobial hand gel is also available inside every patient room.
• You may be asked to wait in the waiting room during procedures & medical rounds

VISITORS POLICY

• Unless specifically requested by the family or the patient, only immediate family should visit patients in ICU.
• A limit of two visitors is permitted to enter at any one time.
• Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult when visiting.

Visiting Hours are strictly 10am-1pm and 3pm-8pm

• Rest period for patients is between 1pm & 3pm. No visitors are permitted.
• Visitors must notify ICU staff of their arrival before entering the unit. Use the courtesy phone in the Intensive Care Visitors waiting room.
• Due to the unpredictable nature of the ICU a registered nurse or team leader must authorise visitor access to the unit.

MEDICAL INFORMATION

• In accordance with privacy legislation, Medical information cannot be given out over the phone.

Support Services available

(Some of these services may incur an extra cost).

• Social worker
• Physiotherapy
• Interpreting service
• Chaplaincy services in association with Royal North Shore Hospital
• Podiatry
• Hairdressing
• Massage

AMENITIES FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

• Toilets: On the same floor as ICU near the lifts.
• Coffee shop: Ground floor at the entrance to the hospital.
• Florist & Pharmacy: Ground floor.
• Public Telephone and Taxi phone: Ground floor, opposite the Pharmacy.

WHAT TO BRING?

• Toiletries and Medications are all that is required.
• Cut flowers are welcome. Unfortunately due to risk of infection, pot plants are not permitted in the unit.

INTENSIVE CARE MEDICAL SPECIALIST FEES

• The ICU specialist looking after the patients in ICU is not paid by the hospital.
• If the patient is a Veteran’s Affairs, Third party or worker’s compensation patient or in a Private Health Fund the patient will have no out of pocket expenses to pay.
• Uninsured patients will receive an account based on the government schedule fee.
• If relatives or the patient have any questions about this arrangement please let ICU staff know and the intensivist will be happy to discuss.