Who can Visit?
Initially visitors should be family or very close friends, particularly in cases where the patient is unable to indicate their own wishes.
Children are welcome to visit providing their parents feel that it would be beneficial. Please discuss this with the nurse in charge in advance. Whilst some children find it helpful to visit relatives on Intensive Care and are untroubled by all of the equipment and noise, others may find the experience upsetting. We will be able to provide support to the children but we rely on the parents to judge what your child would be happy with. Children will often express their own wishes if they know what to expect. We ask parents to be mindful of other patients and their relatives if children do visit.
We politely request that you restrict visitors to no more than two people at the bedside at any one time. This is due to the limited space provided.
When can I visit?
What to expect on my first vist
We operate an 'open visiting' policy (24 hrs/day), although we do have to make sure that our patients receive enough periods of rest to improve recovery.
When you enter the unit you will be greeted by our reception staff between 8am - 7pm during the weekdays (8am to 5pm on Friday). After this time and on the weekend you are able to use an intercom system directly to the unit. You will be told if it is appropriate for you to enter the unit immediately or to stay in the waiting room. Your relative or friend will be located on the 'east' or 'west' side of the unit.
We understand that you will be worried and may have travelled some distance to see the person you are visiting. We will do our very best to make sure you see them as soon as possible after you arrive. Please be aware that there may be some delays in you seeing your relative or friend because of nursing or medical procedures. In this event. we will make sure that we try and keep you updated whenever possible with what is happening. When we first admit a patient to the Intensive Care Unit, it can take 1-2 hours for us to stabilise their condition and to provide the best possible care. Again, we will aim to update you and allow you to see them at the earliest opportunity.
The Intensive Care Unit comprises an 'East' and 'West' side with a total of 24 beds. We have fantastic facilties and experienced staff to provide the best possible care for your relative.
It is always daunting when you first visit an Intensive Care Unit as most people will not have experienced one before. There will be a dedicated nurse looking after your relative and a team of doctors led by a consultant who is always available. Continuous assessments of your relative will take place in addition to formal ward round several times a day. A number of other medical or surgical specialties may also be invited to offer their expertise.
When patients are first admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, they will require a period of assessment, stabilisation and individualised treatment plans. This takes time and it is not unusual for us to need 1-2 hours to do this thoroughly so that we can provide the highest quality of care that we demand of ourselves for your relative. We will try and keep you updated during this time and allow you to see them at the earliest opportunity. At subsequent visits, it is unlikely that you will have to wait for such a long period of time (sometimes up to 30 minutes) but again we must always ensure that we have the necessary time for nurses and doctors to provide care.
All patients are attached to a monitor that shows heart rhythm, pulse and blood pressure. They often receive oxygen from a facemask, or a ventilator (breathing machine) if they need help to breath. You will hear buzzers and see numbers flashing on monitors. Try not to be too unnerved by this. It is quite normal and act as an early prompt to the slightest change in the patients condition. The nurse at the bedside will explain all of the equipment when you visit if required.
If at any point you do not understand what is going on or have questions about your relatives condition please ask us. We will always keep you updated. It is not uncommon to forget some of the information that you have already heard. Do not hesitate to ask again if you are unsure.