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Introduction
Ward 1B is a surgical ward which specialises in ENT, maxillo-facial & orthodontic surgery. The ward is led by a Ward Manager and is supported by three nursing teams. The nurses work in teams in order to concentrate on the delivery of care to the patients in their group. All three teams are supported by a staff nurse, health care assistant and a ward clerk.
We have six ENT consultants and three maxillo-facial consultants. They are supported by a team of doctors resposible for your care whilst you are on the ward.
Although the ward is very busy, the atmosphere is friendly. Our aim is to deliver a high standard of care in a safe enviroment for patients and staff, where dignity and confidentiality is maintain
Ward 1b is located on the 1st floor of the Tower Block.
What to Expect When You are Admitted to Our Ward
When you arrive on the ward you will be shown to your bed. In the event that a bed is not available, we will ask you to wait in the waiting room until one is available. This can take some time. The nurse in charge of your care for that day will try and give you an indication of the time you will be expected to wait.
Once shown to your bed, a nurse will see you. They will check your details and ask some questions about your health. You will then see a doctor who may ask you further questions about your health. Your care thereafter will very much depend on your reason for admission. If you have been admitted for a planned operation that day, you may also be seen by an anaesthetist. If your surgery is scheduled within the next 24 hours, you may undergo some investigations first or meet other members of the team who will be looking after you.
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 Ward 1B are: -
Consultants
For more information on the Consultants please click on their name.
Sister: - Navy blue dress / tunic / trousers.
Charge Nurse: - Tunic / trousers.
Staff Nurse: - Blue and white striped dress / tunic and navy trousers.
Male Staff Nurse: - Navy trousers, white tunic with blue epaulets.
Student Nurse: - Pale Blue
Nursing Auxiliaries / Health Care Assistants: - Green / white striped uniform.
Male Health Care Assistants: - Navy trousers, white tunic with green epaulets.
Bamk Staff: - White dress / tunic and navy trousers.
Housekeepeing staff: - Pink / white striped dress / tunic and trousers.
Domestics staff: - Pale green and white striped dress / tunic and trousers.
Yellow dress with blue tabard.
Other staff involoved in your care may include doctors, physiotherapists, speech therapists, dietitians, social workers, ward clerks, pharmacists and student nurses.
Consultant Ward Rounds / When Will I See a Doctor?
The various teams of doctors conduct a round every morning at approximately 08.30am – 09.00am. Times may vary slightly at week ends.
We appreciate that being in hospital can be a stressful time, not only for you but for your family too, so we aim to make your stay as comfortable as possible and aim to get you home as soon as possible so that you can continue your recuperation there.
Our philosophy of care is to treat each patient as an individual that is encompassing their social, psychological and biological needs. We believe patients' wishes should be respected and that they should be involved in decision making regarding their nursing care if they so desire. Members of staff are here to help you in any way they can.
If you are concerned about your care, or any of the services provided, speak to someone immediately so that your problem can be sorted out as quickly as possible.
Facilities
The facilities on the Ward include: -
A trolley pay-phone (outgoing calls only)
Showers / toilets/ wash-hand facilitie
Television in each bay or single room
Mealtimes and Catering
You will be given a menu card every day to choose your meals for the next day. If you require a special diet please inform staff who will endeavour to accommodate your needs.
| Early Morning Tea: - | 6.30am - 7.00am |
|---|---|
| Breakfast: - | 7.30am - 8.00am |
| Lunch: - | 12.00pm - 12.45pm |
|
Supper: - |
5.00pm - 5.30pm |
| Beverages: - | Mid morning / mid afternoon / late evening |
Fosters Restaurant is located on the ground floor of the Tower Block next to the lifts. For more information Click Here
Visitors
Visiting times are: - 3.00pm - 4.30pm and 6.00pm - 8.00pm
If these times are not suitable for you because of distance, work or child care problems, please discuss alternative arrangements with the nurse in charge & we will do our best to accommodate you.
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.
How to Contact the Ward
You and your family will be informed of the best time to telephone for news following your surgery.
Telephone Number: - 08454 22 6184
Or Telephone Switchboard on 08454 22 2222 and ask for the Ward.
It would be helpful if one member of your family telephones and relays the information to the rest of your family and friends.
Going Home
You should be given an approximate date for your discharge at the pre assessment clinic if you are having a planned operation. This will be confirmed with you after your surgery. The nurse looking after you on the day of your discharge will discuss with you any arrangements for further appointments in outpatient clinics, please ensure you understand which hospital this will be at, as much of our surgery is undertaken in Gloucester but we will try to see you as an outpatient in a clinic as near to home as possible. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask the nursing staff.
Once you are dressed and ready to go, you will be transferred to the Discharge lounge to wait for your transport home. This is located in the foyer of the tower block entrance on the ground floor and is staffed by a qualified nurse and volunteers. Seating, toilet facilities & refreshments are all available there. Final minor treatments may also be carried out by the nurse to expedite your discharge.
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.
Visitors are requested not to sit on patients beds, this is to help minimise the risk of spread of infection and for other health and safety reasons.
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. If diagnosed as c-diff you may be transferred to the Cohort Ward (6A). this is a 16 bedded infection control ward dedicated to the management of patients who have or are suspected to have c-diff.
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 Hairdresser, 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.