Critical Care

10.00 am to 7.00pm every day including weekends.

Please report to reception and staff will help you when you visit.

Outside of the hours stated above, please use the buzzer next to the double doors to gain access.

Visiting is restricted to 2 visitors per bed space and we would politely ask that food and drink is not taken into the clinical area.

• Critical Care is sometimes referred to as the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). 
• Critical Care also offers high dependency care.
• Patients whose condition is extremely serious and sometimes life threatening are admitted to CCU.
• It is normal to feel confused or shocked at this time.
• The care provided will be respectful of your needs and your families needs including any religious beliefs you have.
• Staff will provide quality high level care and usually look after 1 or 2 patients each.
• Noise levels on CCU. During the day, it can be quite noisy due to the bleeping noises or alarm sounds coming from some of the equipment.  This is normal and does not necessarily mean that something is wrong.

If you have any questions about your care, Remember, It’s okay to ask!

As well as nurses and doctors, there are different health professionals who will be involved in the care when needed.  These include physiotherapists, dieticians, pharmacists, speech and language therapists (SALT), occupational therapists, (OT), clinical psychologists and specialist consultants.

• Doctors and nurses can take several hours to treat patients and you may find that this time passes very slowly whilst you are waiting for news.
• You may be asked to wait in the reception area however, you will be kept informed of any changes at the earliest opportunity. If you feel you have been waiting a long time, please speak to a member of staff.
• A doctor or nurse will discuss with you the patient’s illness, treatment and plans of care.

• The length of time patients stay on CCU depends on the extent of their illness or injuries and any complications that might occur.
• Some patients recover quite quickly while others may remain in the unit for weeks or even months.
• A patient’s condition can fluctuate, for example, they may develop an infection, but this is not usual in someone who is critically ill. You will be kept   informed if any changes in treatment are needed.
• Recovery is not always possible and sometimes despite everything that is done to make the your loved one better, they may reach the end of their life and pass away. 

Morning is the busiest time on the unit and includes:

• Doctors and nurses who discuss the patient’s progress and plan of care.
• Examination of the patients.
• Further treatment agreed.
• A plan made for the remainder of the day.

Afternoon is typically quieter and includes:

• Treatment plans being completed.
• Input from other specialist consultants.

Touching my loved one

• If you are involved in helping care for your relative, you must wash your hands and wear an apron.
• Critical Care patients are often surrounded by tubes and wires however, it is usually possible to touch your loved one. The nurse will guide you.
• You may feel you would like to participate in some of the care your loved one needs, such as, combing their hair, cleaning their eyes and mouth or washing their face. Please mention this to the nurse and she/he will help you carry out these tasks.

Talking to my loved one

• For patients to tolerate their treatment it is often necessary to give them sedation and pain relief which will place them in an induced coma or make them drowsy.
• Feel free to talk to your loved one and let them know that you are there and to tell them they are safe. You may notice that ward staff tell your loved one ‘you are safe’.
• If you feel able, it can help to frequently tell your loved one where they are, what time and day it is, even if your loved one is not awake. Ward staff       frequently do this and it is called ‘reorientation’.
• A patient may be able to hear even if they cannot respond.  You will see staff talking to patients and telling them what is happening. 

Will I recognise my loved one?

• Your loved one may look very different from the last time you saw them.
• Their clothes will have been removed but they will be covered and normally wearing a hospital gown.
• Their bodies may be bruised and swollen.
• They may be attached to a lot of equipment.

Why is my loved one confused?

CCU patients can often be confused due to a condition called delirium.  Please speak to a member of staff if you are concerned.

Why are there curtains around the bed space?

Please do not be alarmed if the curtains are around the bed space.  Your relative is likely to be receiving a treatment or having an examination requiring privacy.

What if treatment is needed whilst I am visiting?

Your visit might be interrupted by a treatment or examination and the nurse or doctor will ask you to leave the bedside and wait in the relatives’ waiting area.

Treatments and examinations can usually take longer than expected.  If you feel you have been waiting a long time please ask the staff at reception.

Is patients’ property safe on the ward?

There is limited space in the unit for storing property and therefore we ask that the patients only have essential items such as toiletries and cards. 

Photographs of family and friends are also allowed.

Valuable items such as jewellery and any money need to be taken home.  Alternatively, staff can send them to the hospital cashier for safe keeping.

Is there TV and Radio?

For those patients who are in for a long stay free TV and radio is available.

Personal and audio equipment can also be used, however please use headphones.

You can access your free trust Wi-Fi service via your phone or tablet using the QR code or via the website www.uhnmtv.co.uk

Once your loved one has recovered they will be transferred to a ward.

The ward environment is very different and is a positive step towards recovery.

In the first 24 hours on the ward area, a member of the Critical Care Outreach Team will visit your loved one to make sure that they remain well and make progress in their recovery.

Rehab nurses, physiotherapists and other members of the Critical Care Team may also visit the ward before finalising the ward handover.

Providing updates on your loved ones care is different on the ward and you will need to request these from the  ward nursing and medical team.

Useful Information

Baby changing facilities

This is located by the Subway café in the Lyme Building entrance.  Please ask reception for directions.

Breastfeeding facility

A quiet area can be provided for you.  Please ask at reception,

Additional Resources

www.criticalcarerecovery.com

www.icusteps.org

www.cc-sn.org

Contact Details

Please nominate a family member to phone for progress updates who can then pass on the information to others.

Please speak to a member of staff about setting up a password.

Critical Care Reception    01782 675500

Pod 3     01782 675503

Pod 4     01782 675504

Pod 5    01782 675505

Pod 6      01782 675506