Special hospital
FILIP VTORI
www.cardiosurgery.com.mk; +389 2 3091- 484
INFORMATIONAL BROCHURE FOR INTENSIVE CARE VISITORS
I
ntensive care unit
The patients in the intensive care unit are in constant need of observation, intensive medical treatment and care. A specialized team of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists and technicians take care of the patients. To fulfil this task, the staff is continuously educated. This unit works in accordance with the current scientific knowledge and experiences from Germany, USA and other reference centres in the world.
care stay represents a new and complicated situation for you. For us, the contact with you is most important We need to have a mutual understanding in order to surmount the hard times. The modern technique contributes to optimum observation and treatment of the patient. Despite the many instruments that you see and hear of, the human being is our spotlight.
Oorganization
The intensive care staff works in three shifts in order to provide a 24-hour constant care for the patients. Therefore, you will meet many doctors and nurses/ technicians. ď‚&#x; All daily activities, such as body care, change of dressings and doctors’ rounds are preferably The patients stay in premises done in the afternoons. ď‚&#x; Examinations, special with many beds which can be receptions, separated with curtains. The space interventions, is partly limited and the crowd relocations can be done any time. We try to enable rest time for can not always be avoided. No matter if you are a patient our patients during the night. or a family member, the intensive
O bservation and treatment Once you enter our premises, you will see many technical instruments connected to the patient through cables and hoses. All instruments are very sensitive and react on very small changes through optic and acoustic signals. Mostly, the signals do not mean a
direct danger for the patient, but they help us record the changes and react early. The function of the heart and the blood flow, and the respiration are regularly followed through a monitor. In many patients, the breathing must be assisted by a
breathing apparatus during their stay in our unit. The air flows in the patient’s lungs through a tube (tubus) which is inserted through the patient’s mouth into the trachea. During mechanical ventilation, the patient can not talk because the hose is pressing the vocal cords. The patient can hear, and depending on the level of vigilance, he/she can communicate with you through gesticulations and hand movements. To avoid additional stress for our patients, a condition of artificial sleep can be evoked during the especially critical treatment phases. Until the patient starts to eat normally, he/she will receive food, fluids and medications through a venous catheter and a gastric probe. This is performed with electric pumps which enable precise dosage. All intensive care patients have a urinary catheter, through which the urine is collected in a closed bag.
What can you do for your
relative/friend?
Visiting hours
The visiting hours are strictly limited, from 16.00 until 17.00 every day. The number of visitors per day is limited to two on one patient. Due to the character of the profession and the activities of the doctors and the staff as well, the visiting hours can sometimes be changed, and you may be waiting for a longer time period. Therefore, we ask for your nderstanding!!! Sometimes during the visiting hours, an unpredictable situation might occur, and you will have to leave the unit shortly. Children under 14 are not allowed to enter the intensive care unit, which is for their own good. As visitors of the intensive care unit, you should hold on to the following rules: 1. At the entrance door, you should wear protective coat and shoes; 2. Disinfect your hands thoroughly; A nurse will help you and take you to the patient.
In some intensive care patients, confusion and/or disorientation might occur. This phase is transient. If your relative/friend is not fully conscious or sleeps, the interpersonal relation with his/ her close relatives/friends is especially important. We are sure that the patient subconsciously notices your presence, although he/she can not react. Talk to him/her about the happenings at home, read something from his/her favorite book…. Touch him/her, hold his/ her hand. With your attention, you can positively affect his/her recovery, ease his/her cares and calm him/ her. On yours or the patient’s wish, you can help in certain care activities, of course if the situation allows. This can be agreed with the nurse/doctor in charge who will supervise you. Think of yourself too. You are also exposed to a big stress. Do not experience remorse if you do not wish or can not visit the patient for one day.
If you need, our psychologists are on your disposal.
What can you bring? Of course, the patient receives food, drinks, care products and bedding from you. If your relative/friend is not on a breathing apparatus, he/she might need a denture, glasses, hearing aid. Additionally, you can bring smaller thing of especial emotional meaning for the patient, for example: a photograph, a drawing, a walkman with the patient’s favorite music etc., because the space for personal things in the intensive care unit is limited. Please first contact the nurse in charge regarding this matter.
Valuable things are not allowed in the intensive care unit (ID card, money, documents, and mobile phone).
Information
The doctor in charge of the intensive care unit will converse with you regarding the patient’s health condition, diagnosis, and therapeutic measures. The nursing staff will inform you regarding the patient’s consciousness, mood, every-day activities and the whole environment of the patient. We ask for your understanding for giving information to one person only!!! The patient him-/herself will determine this person during the
conversation at the reception in the preoperative unit (the name will be recorded in the patient’s history). If this does not happen, please appoint one person together with your family who will regularly contact us and inform the other family members and friends.
Contact:
You will receive phone information from the doctor working in the respective shift twice a day:
Semi-intensive care unit (I floor)
from 12:00 till13:00
02/ 3091-498
from 19:00 till20:00
Intensive care unit (II floor)
from 12:00 till 13:00
02/ 3077-741
from19:00 till 20:00
Psychology and psychotherapy unit (I floor)
from 7:00 till 20:00
02/ 3091-861
every working day