• Reference Number: HEY-1430-2024
• Departments:
• Last Updated: 1 June 2024

Introduction

This leaflet has been produced to give you general information about your stay on Ward 39. Most of your questions should be answered by this leaflet. It is not intended to replace the discussion between you and your healthcare team, but may act as a starting point for discussion. If after reading it you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a member of the healthcare team caring for you.

What is Ward 39

Ward 39 is a Cardiology Ward which consists of 16 beds and a Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) area.

What to expect when I arrive

You will be greeted by a member of the nursing team and made comfortable onto the ward. The nurse responsible for your care will introduce themselves and complete an initial nursing assessment which will include:

• Your personal details will be checked and confirmed with you and/or your representative. This is to confirm your identity and ensure that correct contact details for emergencies or follow up are recorded.
• A wristband will be attached to you for patient identification.
• Routine observations will be performed. These will include blood pressure, including a blood pressure taken when lying and standing, heart rate, blood oxygen reading, respiration rate & temperature.
• An Electrocardiograph (ECG), which is a heart trace recording.
• You will be shown how to use the nurse call bell, please use this at any time you require assistance or are in need of anything.
• You will be informed about the general layout of the ward and the location of the bathroom.

What happens next?

Once the initial nursing assessment has been completed, you will be seen by a member of the medical team. Depending on the nature of your medical condition you may require investigations and tests. These investigations and tests may include:

• Blood Tests
• Urine Tests
• X-Rays
• Cardiac Monitoring (This is a way of watching electrical activity of your heart. Stickers will be placed on your chest which are attached to either a small box or a large screen on the wall next to your bed.)
• Echocardiogram (This is a type of medical imaging which uses sound waves to create images of the heart. This is a painless test.)
• CT Scans – Computerised Tomography (This uses X-Rays and a computer to create detailed images of the inside of your body.)
• MRI Scan – Magnetic Resonance Imaging (It uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of organs and structures inside the body).

You will be reviewed daily by the Cardiology Consultant, who will determine if you need to stay in hospital longer for further treatment & investigations or be allowed to go home. Sometimes you are allowed to go home and have further investigations as an outpatient.

Whilst undergoing any clinical examination you are entitled to a chaperone. If you would like a chaperone please ask a member of the healthcare team and they will arrange this for you.

During your stay on Ward 39 you may be seen by different specialties and other healthcare professionals depending on your medical and care needs.

Once assessed as medically fit for discharge we may need to transfer you to our No Criteria to Reside Ward located on the 13^th Floor of the tower block. You maybe awaiting things like packages of care, short term care in a rehabilitation bed, admission to a care home, ongoing physiotherapy treatment, occupational therapy assessment.

Meal times

Breakfast:         From 08:00 am to 08:45 am

Lunch:              From 12:00 noon to 12:45 pm

Tea:                   From 17:00 pm to 17:45 pm

Hot drinks will be provided with the meals and hot drinks and snacks will be provided in between meals and during the evening.

Water will be available at your bedside and the staff will replenish this for you as needed or requested. Please be aware that during your stay you may be placed on a fluid restriction or be required to be nil by mouth, the healthcare team will inform you if this is required.

We encourage relatives or friends to attend the ward during meal times to assist their family member should this be required.

Visiting and contact details

Visiting times for the ward are from 11:00 am to 19:00 pm

Contact telephone number is 01482 311780 or 01482 311781

We recommend that there are only 2 visitors at the bedside at any one time. No children under the age of 12 years are allowed unless agreed by the nurse in charge.

Your family may want information about your care. Please ask them to speak to a member of the healthcare team caring for you, who can discuss this with your permission. Please be aware that we cannot give information over the telephone.

What happens on discharge

A Discharge Summary Letter will be given to you, which provides a summary of treatment and care during your hospital admission. A copy of the summary will be made available to your GP.

• The Discharge Summary Letter includes all the medication you are discharged home on.
• You will be given a 28 day supply of any new or changed medications to take home.
• Any outpatient appointments or follow ups will be arranged by our administration staff, who will inform you of your appointment by letter.

You may be transferred to our Discharge Lounge to await your medications to be dispensed from our pharmacy and for ease of your transportation home.