General Information

Description of service

The Maroondah Hospital Critical Care Unit was established in November 1990. It manages in excess of 900 patients per year. It is a level II tertiary referral unit for Intensive Care (ICU), Coronary Care (CCU) and High Dependency (HDU) patients. It is capable of providing the highest level of intensive care including complex multi-system life support for an indefinite period.

Services Provided

Intensive Care services include mechanical ventilation, renal support services and invasive cardiovascular monitoring.

Coronary Care services include cardiovascular monitoring, thrombolysis, temporary cardiac pacing, and access to local diagnostic organ imaging services excluding local access to angiography.

High Dependency services include the provision of suitable environment for post-operative monitoring and management of analgesia in the elderly patient with cardiac and respiratory illnesses.

Information for relatives and visitors

The Unit is designed to provide intensive medical and nursing care for those patients in need of close observation and intensive therapies to aid their recovery. The patient with heart problems as well as the acutely ill patient may be admitted to the Critical Care Unit.
Patients are frequently brought here by ambulance following a sudden illness, and find it frightening to be ill and in hospital. Some patients come to the Unit following a major operation or are transferred directly from another ward / hospital.

Having a family member or friend admitted to the Unit will mean that you have questions that need to be answered. The staff of the Unit are familiar with these situations and will provide the physical and emotional support necessary to assist patients and their relatives during this period.

If you have any enquiries that are not addressed here, please ask the staff of the Unit for help.

Telephone Enquiries

Appointing a spokesperson reduces the time needed to give identical information to several relatives, and allows the staff more time for patient care. It also reduces mixed communications within larger families. Relatives and friends who ring in will be referred to the spokesperson.

It would be appreciated if one (or two) family members are designated as spokesperson to communicate with the staff by phone. That person will then be asked to relay information to the rest of the family.

Please note that a ward clerk is on duty Monday to Friday 7.30 am to 4.00 pm. At other times nursing staff are required to answer all incoming calls.

It would also be appreciated if calls could be avoided during nursing handover times - between 6.00 am to 8.00 am, 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm, and 9.30 am to 10.30 pm.

Visiting the Critical Care Unit

Next of Kin and direct family members may visit whilst the patient is in the Critical Care Unit.

Only two visitors at the bedside at any one time so that necessary care can continue during visiting.

It is recommended that children under five do not visit, as they have immature immune systems and could possibly be exposed to virulent hospital organisms and infections.

Special friends may be admitted at the request of the patient or next of kin. However, it would be appreciated if you could notify the nurse in charge prior to such visits.

If you are presently suffering from a cold or flu, please advise nursing staff prior to visiting. You may wish to postpone visiting until risk of transmission is minimal.

If you have not visited before please inform the staff so that we can assist you in understanding the equipment and routines that are in use. Please ask the staff if you have any questions.

Each time you visit you can help us by following the procedure below.

1. Press the Intercom at the main entrance to the Unit. Someone will greet you at the door as soon as they are able.
2. Wash your hands inside the entrance of the Unit before going to the bedside.

Important reminder: Please take care of your own health. The staff understand that it is important both for your relative or friend to see you and know that you are nearby, and for you to be near them. However, try not to spend long hours sitting outside the Unit. Go home if you can; if not, walk around the Hospital grounds or take a break at the Kiosk near Reception or cafeteria on the lower ground floor. It is important that you get enough rest to enable you to support your loved one during their hospital stay, as well as later when they are discharged home.

Patient Belongings

As we have limited space, we ask that the family take home all clothing, leaving only: one or two sets of night attire and underclothing; dressing gown and slippers; toiletries, tissues and personal items; spectacles, hearing aids, etc a small amount of money for newspapers, etc.

Again, due to limited space, and the problems some respiratory patients may experience, small quantities of flowers are permitted. If too many arrive, some may need to be sent home with the next of kin. We suggest that the patient may appreciate flowers more when he/she is transferred to the general ward or home. Potted plants are not permitted.

All electrical equipment, e.g. electric razors and radios, must be inspected by the Hospital's Engineering Department prior to use.

Staff

Nursing Staff

The CCU is staffed by registered nurses who have special training and/or experience in caring for the acutely ill patients nursed in the Unit, a majority of the Registered Nurses hold a post registration Certificate in Critical Care. They are experienced in managing the specialised equipment in this area and the emergencies that may arise while a patient is in the Unit. The Nurse to patient ratios are 1:1 for ICU patients and 1:2 for CCU and step-down patients.

A Professional Development Unit Educator and Clinical Resource Nurse is employed in the Critical Care Unit to provide educational programs/activities that are congruent with the needs of individuals and the changing needs of the organisation. Undergraduate, Graduate and Post Graduate clinical placements are in place.

The combination of both cardiac and intensive care in the one area proves to be attractive to nursing staff who enjoy a mixture of clinical experiences in a unit where a variety of skills are required

The bedside nurse allocated to care for your relative or friend is available to answer any questions you may have, and there is a nurse in charge of each shift who is also available to help answer any questions and help you solve any problems you may encounter.

The unit is very well equipped, thanks to the continuing financial support of the hospital auxiliaries. Almost everyone who works, visits or receives care in the Critical Care Unit comments on the friendly, supportive atmosphere which we continue to maintain as we provide a very high standard of care.

Medical Staff

Maroondah Hospital is staffed by Senior Medical Officers who are assigned to the Unit, working under the direction of the Director of Critical Care. These doctors are rostered to be available 24 hours a day, therefore you may meet several doctors all of whom are helping to care for your family member or friend. While the patient is in the Unit, his/her medical treatment is determined and co-ordinated by the Director of Critical Care.
The day-to-day management of the patient is the responsibility of a senior medical officer under the guidance of the Director of the Unit. The attending physician and/or surgeon may also visit the patient.

Links

Medical Staff Listings