This page is a printable version of: http://www.yeovilhospital.nhs.uk/health-services/intensive-care.htm
Date: 16 May 2012
Intensive Care
The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is located on the fifth floor and provides a world-class level of care for the sickest patients in the hospital. There are ten beds with each bed space equipped to the same high specification, with a system which provides vital monitoring and delivers drugs from an overhead unit. This reduces the need for wires and cables and means that life-saving equipment can be swiftly moved around the bed.
The majority of patients are admitted because they need urgent medical and nursing treatment. Patients may be admitted directly to the ICU from the Emergency Department for a variety reasons, such as cardiac arrest, road traffic accident or collapse. Patients may also be transferred from other parts of the hospital if changes in their clinical condition means that they need the specialist skills provided by the ICU.
Some patients will be very ill and will need to go on a breathing machine and be very closely monitored. Each patient has an identified nurse and will be visited several times each day by the doctors looking after them to ensure they receive the best possible care.
The entrance to the unit is controlled for security reasons and all visitors are asked to tell reception when they arrive. There is a waiting area for visitors with tea and coffee facilities at a nominal charge. We do not allow fresh flowers or potted plants in the ICU because of the increased risk of infection and we also ask that all mobile phones are turned off.
Being the relative of a patient in ICU can be a very difficult time and we appreciate that you will need to visit more frequently. The visiting hours are between 3pm and 8pm. Close family are allowed outside of these hours by prior arrangement but patients do have a rest period between 2pm and 3pm and all visitors are requested to leave the unit at this time. We ask that the number of visitors be kept to a minimum (no more than two at the bedside). Exceptions can be made in some circumstances so please discuss this with the nurses.
