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Introduction
Kemerton Ward is a female surgical ward with 25 beds.
The Senior Sister is: -Julie Harvey
The Consultants are: -
Mr Poskitt, Mr Whyman and Mr Bulbulia who all specialise in Vascular Surgery.
Mr Bristol, Mr Chan and Miss Court who all specialise in Breast Surgery.
Mr Gilbert and Mr Kinder who are Urologists.
Mr Hayman, Mr Kerr Wilson, Mr Gornall, Mr Holmes, Mr Kaloo, Mrs Reddy, Mrs McCrum who are Gynaecologists.
The nursing team is made up of three sisters, several staff nurse, auxiliary nurses and ward clerks. We also have student nurses gaining surgical experience.
Although Kemerton Ward is very busy, the atmosphere is friendly. Our aim is to deliver a high standard of nursing care to make your stay as pleasant and comfortable as possible.
The Ward is located in the Centre Block, on the First Floor.
What to Expect When you are Admitted to our Ward
On arrival you will be shown the ward facilities and taken to your bed. In the event of a bed not being immediately available you will be asked to wait in the day room and we will get you to your bed in time to prepare you for your operation.
The ward is divided into three groups of beds, and the nurses work in teams concentrating on the delivery of care to patients in their group. Your named nurse will be the trained nurse on duty each shift who is caring for your particular group, and he/she will answer any questions you or your family may have.
Once shown to your bed the nurse will check your details and place an identity band on your wrist. You will be visited by the anaesthetist who may prescribe a pre-medication usually in the form of tablets, which you will be given approximately one hour before your operation.
You may be given an injection of a low dose anticoagulant that helps to prevent the formation of clots in the deep veins while under anaesthetic or less mobile due to surgery. These injections are continued daily until discharge. You may also be fitted with white support stockings. The site of your operation may be shaved, and a member of your surgical team will mark the site with a skin pen.
Please be aware that the Trust is now a smoke free NHS. Smoking is not permitted in any building or within the grounds of any of our sites. Information and support is available to any patients who wish to stop smoking. Nicotine Replacement Therapy is available to help reduce your cravings during your stay.
Our Staff
A variety of people will be responsible for your care whilst in hospital. Some of the staff you may come in contact with while on Kemerton Ward are: -
Consultants
For more information on the Consultants please click on their name.
Sister: - Navy blue dress / tunic / trousers.
Staff Nurse: - Blue and white striped dress / tunic with red piping and navy trousers.
Nursing Auxiliaries: - Green striped dress / tunic and navy trousers.
Bank Staff: - White dress / tunic and navy trousers.
Housekeepeing staff: - Pink and white stripped dress / tunic and trousers.
Domestics staff: - Black and white
Consultant Ward Rounds / When will I see a Doctor?
The Registrars and Senior House Officers visit their patients every morning Monday – Friday at approx 8am with their teams.
The consultants often see their patient’s pre operatively or if you are an emergency overnight the following morning unless specifically needing a consultant review earlier than this.
Mr Poskitt does 2 scheduled ward rounds per week: Monday and Wednesday at 08.30.
Mr Whyman does 1 scheduled ward round per week: Wednesday at 2pm.
The remaining Consultants see their patients at some stage of their patient’s stay.
If you or a nominated member of your family (with the patient’s permission) want to see a doctor please see the Sister or nurse in-charge and they will do their best to arrange a convenient time for everybody to meet. Please be aware that doctors are not always freely available due to their working commitments so please be patient.
Facilities
The facilities on Kemerton Ward include: -
• 1 assisted high/low bath
• 1 independent bath
• 2 showers
• 5 toilets
We also have a day room with a colour television.
Mealtimes and Catering
All meals are ordered by menu cards in advance and delivered on covered trays.
| Breakfast: - | 7.50am approx |
|---|---|
| Lunch: - | 12.30pm |
| Supper: - | 6.30pm |
A drinks trolley with a selection of hot beverages goes round the ward seven times through out the day.
The Catering Staff are an integral part of the meal delivery service at Cheltenham General Hospital. The staff are visible on the ward throughout most of the day, serving food, washing up and cleaning in the ward pantry as well as delivering stock. The Catering staff are easily recognised by their uniform; royal blue polo shirts, navy blue baseball caps and trousers and, of course, a smile.
Visitors
Visiting times are: - 3.00pm - 4.30pm and 6.00pm - 8.00pm daily
There is no visiting before 3pm; this is a much needed rest period for the patients. Two visitors per bed at any one time please. This is necessary not only because the patient will be overtired by more, but space is limited and overcrowding poses a health and safety hazard. We also limit the amount of flowers due to lack of space, infection risk and health and safety.
How to Contact the Ward
You and your family will be informed of the best time to telephone for news following your surgery.
Telephone numbers: - 08454 22 4009
Or Telephone Switchboard on 08454 22 2222 and ask for the Ward.
It would be most appreciated if one person telephones and relays the information to the rest of the family.
Going Home
Your discharge is planned early with the support of the nursing staff, physiotherapist and occupational therapists if necessary. On your day of discharge we like to plan for you to be able to leave at approximately 10.00am.
Cleanliness and Infections in Hospital
Some people are admitted to hospital with infections that require them to be cared for away from other patients to prevent the spread of that particular infection. Please follow the instructions given to you by staff.
You will be nursed in a single room with the door closed at all times. Please pay particular attention to hand washing and general cleanliness at all times, especially when leaving the room.
If you have been in contact with chickenpox, measles or mumps within 3 weeks of your admittance to hospital, please inform a member of staff.
We ask that visitors suffering from minor infections such as a cold avoid visiting if possible, for their sake as well as the patients. We do not recommend babies being brought in to visit, again for their own protection.
Hand washing. The most common means by which infection is transmitted is by hand, therefore handwashing is a very basic, yet vital infection control measure. Alcohol hand gel is kept at the entrance of the ward and at each bedside for all the visitors to use before and after visiting. For hygienic hand disinfection apply 3ml (3 shots) to physically clean hands for 30 seconds ensuring all areas are covered, until dry.
What is clostridium difficile? Also called c diff
It is a bacteria that normally lives in the intestine. Up to 5% of the population are thought to carry this without any problems. It is usually kept in check by other bacteria in the intestines, which are normally present in our gut.
What problems does clostridium difficile cause?
Some strains of c.diff produce toxins, these toxins (poisons) cause diarrhoea. It can only do this when the balance of the normal gut bacteria has been disturbed. This can happen when antibiotics are given for infections. This enables the c-diff bacteria to multiply and produce more toxins that damage the cells in the intestines causing diarrhoea.
How is it Diagnosed?
A sample of diarrhoea is sent to the microbiology lab within the hospital. The laboratory looks for c-diff the toxins produced by some strains of the bacteria
How can it be treated?
If it is possible the antibiotics that have contributed to the disease will be stopped. Sometimes other antibiotics will be given, which are effective against the c-diff bacteria
What should happen if someone has diarrheoa?
Whenever possible you will be moved into a side room, before the microbiology result of the diarrhoea specimen is known This is to help prevent the spread of this bacteria. Not all patients can be placed in side rooms. it will depend on the condition of the patient and the availability.
Personal hygiene must be very strict. Everyone must wash their hands with soap and water after going to the toilet and before eating.
What is MRSA?
The organism Staphylococcus aureus is found on many individuals skin and seems to cause no major problems. However if it gets inside the body, for instance under the skin or into the lungs, it can cause important infections such as boils or pneumonia. Individuals who carry this organism are usually totally healthy, have no problems whatever and are considered simply to be carriers of the organism.
The term MRSA or methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is used to describe those examples of this organism that are resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Methicillin was an antibiotic used many years ago to treat patients with Staphylococcus aureus infections. It is now no longer used except as a means of identifying this particular type of antibiotic resistance.
Individuals can become carriers of MRSA in the same way that they can become a carrier of ordinary Staphylococcus aureus which is by physical contact with the organism. If the organism is on the skin then it can be passed around by physical contact. If the organism is in the nose or is associated with the lungs rather than the skin then it may be passed around by droplet spread from the mouth and nose. We can find out if and where Staphylococcus aureus is located on a patient by taking various samples, sending them to the laboratory and growing the organism. Tests done on any Staphylococcus aureus grown from such specimens can then decide how sensitive the organism is to antibiotics and if it is a methicillin resistant (MRSA) organism. These tests usually take 2-3 days.
Why bother with MRSA?
MRSA organisms are often associated with patients in hospitals but can also be found on patients not in a hospital. Usually it is not necessary to do anything about MRSA organisms. However if MRSA organisms are passed on to someone who is already ill, then a more serious infection may occur in that individual. When patients with MRSA are discovered in a hospital, the hospital will try to prevent it from passing around to other patients. This is known as infection control.
How do we prevent the spread of MRSA?
Measures to prevent the spread of organisms from one person to another are called isolation or infection control. The type of infection control or isolation required for any patient depends on the organism, where the organism is found on an individual and the patient.
The most important type of isolation required for MRSA is what is called Contact Isolation. This type of isolation requires everyone in contact with the patient to be very careful about hand washing after touching either the patient or anything in contact with the patient. If the organism is in the nose or lungs it may also be necessary to have the patient in a room to prevent spread to others by droplet spread. Because dust and surfaces can become contaminated with the organism, cleaning of surfaces are also important.
What do visitors need to do?
Provided relatives and friends of patients with MRSA are healthy there is no restriction on visiting and it carries no risk. Visitors are not required to wear special clothing BUT we would ask you to help us prevent this organism spreading around our hospital by keeping the patients' door closed at all times and always washing your hands whenever you leave the room.
What about MRSA at home?
In patients who are otherwise well the organisms often disappear once the patient leaves the hospital. Sometimes they do not however, and this may mean that when a patient has to go back into hospital the isolation precautions need to be used again. Provided everyone at home is healthy special precautions are not required at home.
What can be done about MRSA?
In certain situations it may be a good idea to try to get rid of the organism from a patient and this can be done with various creams and shampoos or on occasions combinations of antibiotics taken by mouth or by injection depending on the health of the patient.
If English is not your first language, and you may require the services of an interpreter, please let the ward know before your admission, if at all possible.
If you are hearing impaired and need to sign, we may also be able to provide someone to help with this.
A Dietician, Chiropodist, Dentist and Pharmacist are all available on site and the staff will inform you of these in more detail should you wish.
Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Social Services can be accessed via referral from Ward staff. Chaplaincy staff visit the Ward, or you may arrange for your own spiritual advisor to visit.
