Intensive Care Unit
Westmead Private Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admits more than 1500 patients annually making it one of the busiest private ICUs in Australia. The ICU provides care for a wide variety of medical and surgical conditions and has a long standing expertise in the management of patients after neurosurgery, open heart surgery and a wide mix of other complex surgery.
The 16 bed ICU provides specialised care for patients who require constant monitoring, intensive nursing care and advanced respiratory, cardiac and renal support therapies.
Westmad Private ICU is also one of the few private ICUs specialising in the management of older children (10 years and above) following spinal surgery, thoracic surgery and paediatric surgery.
Each day the ICU is staffed by a multi-disciplinary team including:
- A senior intensive care consultant
- ICU registrar
- Nurse manager
- Beside nurse
- Pharmacist
- Physiotherapist
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 16 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 with the microbial hand gel provided when entering & leaving the unit.
- 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.
Recommended visiting hours are from
- 10.00am - 12.00pm
- Rest period for the patients is between 2pm & 3pm.
- Visitors should notify staff of their arrival by pressing the doorbell outside the unit and waiting for a staff member to answer.
- Due to the unpredictable nature of the ICU a registered nurse or team leader must authorise visitor access to the unit.
- Relatives are encouraged not to remain at the hospital overnight.
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).
- Physiotherapy
- Interpreting service
- Chaplaincy services in association with Royal North Shore Hospital
- Discharge Planner
AMENITIES FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
- Toilets: On the same floor as ICU down the corridor.
- Coffee shop: Ground floor in the atrium of 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.
FEEDBACK
Your feedback is valuable to us to enable us to evaluate our service. Please ask your nurse/receptionist for a comment card.