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Introduction
Ryeworth Ward is a 32 bedded ward specialising in the ongoing care of older people, especially those with more complex needs and those requiring a reorganisation of care at home before leaving hospital. The team deal with the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of illness in older people after surgery or following an acute medical illness.
Recently Ryeworth ward has taken over caring for patients who have suffered a fracture neck of femur. This is a result of the Trust ‘Utopia’ project.
The ward is led by a Senior Sister/Ward Manager who is supported by two Band 6 Senior Nurses. Together they oversee and lead a nursing team which is made up of Staff Nurses, Lead Heath Care Assistants, Health Care Assistants and a Ward Clerk. The ward also has Student Nurses allocated to it who work alongside the permanent team under supervision. Bank Nurses support the ward depending upon the staffing levels. All staff work closely with members of the multi disciplinary team consisting of: -
Physiotherapists; Occupational Therapists; Social Workers; Discharge Liaison Sisters; Dieticians; Diabetic Nurse Specialists; Pharmacists and Hospital Volunteers. The physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists undertake daily assessments relating to mobility and self personal care which assists them your rehabilitation progress.
Other disciplines available as required include the Pain team; Palliative care team and the Mental Health liaison Nurses.
We have 2 medical teams attached to the ward: -
• Dr H Gentles
• Dr.K Neubauer
We also have team C who provide pre and post operative orthopaedic cover for patients on the ward who have sustained a fractured Neck of Femur. Ongoing rehabilitative care is undertaken by the medical team.
They are supported by a team of Doctors who are responsible for your care whist on a day to day basis.
What to Expect When you are Admitted to our Ward
Ryeworth Ward is located on the second floor of St Luke’s wing 2, Cheltenham General Hospital. Admissions/transfers tend to come via the speciality wards or directly from home. On arrival to the ward members of nursing staff will settle you into your allocated bed and endeavour to make you feel as comfortable as possible and orientate you to your new surroundings. The nurse will show you how to use the bedside call bell should you require assistance. If you have valuables with you, the staff will encourage you to give them to a relative or a friend for safe keeping or request that they are placed in the ward safe until some one can collect them. Patients who wish to keep their valuables with them will be asked to sign a disclaimer form and will be responsible for keeping their valuables safe.
Staff will re-assess your particular needs, for example nutrition, mobility and discharge. The nurse will need to obtain information from you which will include next of kin details and health information. You will be weighed, have your height measured and assessed as to how dependant you are. If you know that you have any allergies please ensure that you inform your assessing nurse and a red wrist band will be made available for your in patient stay. We realise that coming into hospital can be stressful for all concerned but we will attempt to allay your anxieties.
Although the ward is busy we aim to promote high standards of care in a safe environment for patients and staff where dignity and confidentiality is maintained. The team is made up of novice and expert nurses who are extremely keen and enthusiastic and together staff rise to every new challenge. The team has recently taken on care of patients who have sustained a fracture shaft of femur. Working alongside the orthopaedic teams staff have completed education programmes and trained accordingly in order to undertake this new challenge.
The basic requirements for you will be night wear which is easy to manage, or track suit/jogging bottoms if preferred. Wash bag and towels, slippers, dressing gown or alternative. A full set of day clothes will be required once you start your rehabilitation. If you have brought your own medication into hospital it will be taken away, checked by the ward pharmacist and either kept safe or actually used and stored in the lockable bedside box. A pharmacist checks patient’s medication daily and is available to answer any questions that you may have concerning your medication.
Tablets are dispensed form your bed side box which is kept locked in between medication times.
One week’s supply of medication is arranged for discharge as required.
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 Ryeworth Ward are: -
Consultants
For more information on the Consultants please click on their name.
Sister: - Navy blue dress / tunic with white piping/ navy trousers.
Staff Nurse: - Blue and white striped dress / tunic with white piping and navy trousers.
Male Staff Nurse: - White tunic with striped epaulets, white piping and navy trousers.
Lead Health Care Assistant: - Mint green dress/tunic with white piping and navy trousers
Health Care Assistant: - Green striped dress / tunic and navy trousers.
Bank Staff: - White dress / tunic and navy trousers.
Housekeeping staff: - Pink and white stripped dress / tunic and trousers.
Domestic staff: - Pale green and white striped dress / tunic and trousers.
Yellow dress with blue tabard.
Consultant Ward Rounds / When will I see a Doctor?
The Consultant Ward Rounds take place on: -
Dr Gentles - Monday and Thursday morning.
Dr Neudauer - Tuesday and Friday morning.
Facilities
The Ward layout is divided in two thus providing single sex facilities. It is modern light and spacious. There is a small day room with a television. Six spacious, 4 bedded bays each with ensuite toilet, shower/wet room. We have a large bathroom with a bath that can be used with a hoist. The ward has 8 large siderooms with ensuite facilities. There is a purpose built large therapy room in which patients work with the occupational and physiotherapy staff.
Bedside telephones are available on every patient locker and phone cards can be purchased at machines around the hospital site.If taking a moblie phone into the hospital you are asked to keep the ring tone on vibrate only and consider the other patients on the ward.
We have a hairdresser who visits the ward each Thursday afternoon. If patients would like to benefit from shampoos, cut and styling they just need to ask the staf and an appointment will be made on their behalf.
The WRVS provide a daily trolley service which sells newspapers and confectionary.
Mealtimes and Catering
Menu cards are filled in one day in advance and the nursing staff and volunteers help patients to complete them. We can accommodate most special diet requirements as long as our main kitchen have enough notice. We aim to promote protected mealtimes and the nursing staff assist with feeding where required using the red tray system.
| Breakfast: - | 8.15am - 8.45am |
|---|---|
| Lunchtime: - | 1.00pm - 1.45pm |
| Supper: - | 5.30pm - 6.00pm |
A ward housekeeper dispenses drinks with each meal, mid afternoon and at bed time.
There are two Restaurants at Cheltenham General. The Blue Spa café is located at the front of the Hospital in Centre Block. The Garden Restaurant can be found in St. Paul's Wing. For more information Click Here
How to Contact the Ward
Telephone numbers: - 08454 22 2056
Or Telephone Switchboard on 08454 22 2222 and ask for the Ward.
Relatives are welcome to phone and speak to a nurse, but we encourage families to assign one family member to act as the family spokesperson.
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; the door may need to remain closed, depending on the nature of your infection. 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.
