Patient transfer from NCCU (Neurosciences Critical Care Unit) to a Neurosciences Ward (A4, A5, D6N and J2)

Introduction

This leaflet aims to give simple and practical information related to your relative/friend’s transfer out of NCCU to a general neurosciences ward area.

Transfer to neurosciences ward

• NCCU staff, together with a senior neuroscience nurse, will assess the patient for transfer. When this has been agreed they will meet with you to introduce themselves and let you know which ward your relative/friend is to be transferred to. On occasions, due to unexpected pressures, transfer may happen with little notice.
• We have three dedicated neurosciences wards, A4; A5; D6 (together with a day unit on A3). Some patients on NCCU who have been admitted as part of the Major Trauma Service may be transferred to our dedicated trauma ward on J2. Each ward has its own specific patient information leaflet detailing that particular ward’s routine which will be made available to you on transfer.
• We are committed to treating all patients with privacy and dignity in a safe, clean and comfortable environment. This means, with a few exceptions, we will care for you in same sex bays in wards with separate sanitary facilities for men and women. There are no toilet facilities for visitors on the wards. However, there are facilities close by.
• A member of NCCU nursing staff will accompany the patient to his/her new ward and hand over all details of care to ward nursing staff. Whilst we make every effort to ensure a nurse is available immediately, we would ask that you bear with us if there is a short delay as we might be waiting for another patient to be discharged, or busy caring for another patient.
• We are a regional neurosciences centre with a high level of emergency admissions, therefore it is possible the patient may experience a short delay in being seen by a member of the medical team.

If you have any concerns about this please speak to the nurse in charge. If you have any concerns about any aspects of care please speak to the nurse in charge in the first instance as any problems can usually be resolved very quickly.

General ward information

• Your relative/friend will be cared for by a team of highly trained neuroscience nurses and health care assistants who will each have a number of patients to care for during a shift.
• Your relative/friend will continue to be cared for by the same consultant and clinical nurse practitioner as on the NCCU.
• Food and drink will be provided for patients as appropriate. Please check with nurses if you wish to bring in food or need assistance with eating/drinking.
• We regret that there are no refreshment facilities for relatives/visitors on the ward areas, however there are various retail outlets in the main concourse of the hospital.
• Due to space constraints we would request that all non essential personal belongings are taken home by relatives.
• We encourage patients to wear daytime clothes if they feel able. We do not, however, have facilities to launder clothes routinely and it is therefore very helpful if relatives can take responsibility for this.
• We are unable to provide accommodation for relatives and due to health and safety reasons cannot allow you to sleep in a patient’s room overnight.

Visiting hours

• Friends or relatives may visit between the hours of 11:00 to 19:00. There may be times when visiting is further restricted during, for example if there is an outbreak of the winter vomiting virus or other infection. These times must be strictly adhered to.
• A maximum of two visitors only are allowed at each bedside at any time.
• To help us prevent the spread of infection we request that visitors use the hand rub at the entrance to the ward on arrival and leaving, do not sit on the patient’s bed and we do not allow cut flowers on the wards.