Families & Visitors

Welcome

Visiting

We welcome visits by family, patient’s children and friends and ask that you observe the following guidelines in order to best meet the needs of patients.

ICU visiting hours are 10am – 8pm. Only 2 people at a time can visit patients.

Staff at the reception desk will phone the unit to confirm you can visit the patient. Reception staff will then give you access through the locked doors into the unit.

Patient care is our highest priority and therefore delays are sometimes unavoidable. Your patience and cooperation are always appreciated.

If you are visiting when reception is not staffed, please use the intercom at the entrance to contact staff in the unit who will assist you.

Please refrain from bringing flowers into the ICU.

Please note that NSW Health has a zero tolerance policy for any aggressive behaviour. Visitors exhibiting unacceptable behaviour will be asked to vacate the ICU.

What to expect when you visit

It may be helpful to visit the Intensive Care NSW ACI website for patient and families. The website has easy to access information to help you understand what happens in ICU and what to expect. This may be particularly helpful to prepare children and young people for visiting ICU.

When visiting, please use the foam alcohol hand wash and wear gowns to help reduce the spread of infection for patients.

Medical information

To protect patient privacy, medical information cannot be released over the phone, however, information can be provided by the bedside nurse when you visit.

Information is only provided to the patient’s next of kin for privacy reasons.

Social Workers can arrange family meetings with doctors to provide you with an opportunity to get more detailed information and ask questions about treatment.

What can you do to help

You have an important role to play in patient care and we encourage your participation.

You can also provide information that enables us to personalise care for each patient. For example, let us know if there is a preferred name, or dietary, religious or cultural preferences.

Familiar faces can be important, as can photographs of family and friends. Items of sentimental or monetary value should not be left in the unit as their safety cannot be guaranteed.

Support for you

It is important to look after yourself at this time. Here are some suggestions that may help:

• Take regular breaks from the unit
• Ensure you get enough rest and sleep
• Maintain a regular routine, e.g. exercise
• Eat a balanced diet and maintain fluid intake
• Keep taking any medications you require.

Go to the Emergency Department or see your GP if you feel unwell or notice health changes.

Accommodation

There are limited accommodation options in the St George Hospital area.

The nurse or social worker can provide you with a list of options for you to look into. The ICU has 3 overnight rooms for emergencies.

Patients who have been in the Intensive Care Unit or their relatives often ask how they can help the unit to continue its function in delivering the very best care needed for the very ill.

One way of helping the unit is to provide assistance in the funding for the purchase of specialized equipment and for education purposes which is vital in Intensive Care.

All donations are tax deductible, if you would like to help in this way please contact the Nurse Manager or send direct to:

The Director of Intensive Care
(ICU Special Purpose Trust Fund)
The St George Hospital
Gray Street, Kogarah NSW 2217

Reviewed by SGH Consumer Advisory Group.