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Treatment Intro
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Treatment > Admission to the Burn & Plastic Surgery Unit Communication It is important that patients select a family spokesperson to gather and relay patient information to the rest of the family. This ensures that family members do not receive conflicting information. To help relieve stress, patients and family members should write down any concerns they may have about treatment. We encourage patients and family members to discuss these concerns with our team during visiting hours, or by contacting us at 604- 875-4030. It is also important that family members provide us with contact information (e.g. home phone number, work phone number, scheduled trips, etc.) for the designated spokesperson so that we can relay patient information efficiently. Social Work Our social worker provides support to patients and families to assist in dealing with concerns arising from the hospitalization and to coordinate discharge plans. The social worker liaises with community resources that can help with financial and legal matters, accommodations, transportation and various types of insurance such as UIC, WCB, and ICBC. The Burn & Plastic Surgery Unit Social Worker can be reached from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday, at 604- 875-4096. If these times are not convenient for you, special arrangements can be made with the Social Worker, Clinician or Patient Services Coordinators (PSC). Psychiatrist and Psychologist The psychiatrist and psychologist visit Burn and Plastics patients on a referral basis. They are available to evaluate a patient's or family's response to pain and immobilization, difficult treatments, altered appearance, changed social functioning, depression, and traumatic stress disorders. Isolation Precautions A possible complication for burn and plastic surgery patients is infection and as such, protective isolation precautions are in effect at the Burn & Plastic Surgery Unit. Some of our plastic surgery patients may require a warm room for particular surgical procedures. Therefore, we ask that with each visit, you stop and check in at the team base. This enables us to provide you with pertinent information and explain the necessary protocol. Private rooms are not available at the Burn & Plastic Surgery Unit. However, some patients may be situated in a single room initially to facilitate careful observation by a nurse or because they require isolation due to infection. As the patient's condition improves, they are moved to a two- or three-bed room. This benefits the patient and their family to meet the needs of supportive socialization and nursing management. Visiting Visiting hours are flexible. Visitors are limited to two at the bedside at any time. We suggest that visits be short and frequent as patients tire very easily. Please keep in mind that baths and treatments are usually conducted in the morning. There is a large BPU patient lounge where visitors may wait. Patients who are able to mobilize may have their visits there. Special arrangements may be made for one person to stay overnight at the patient's bedside. Sleeping overnight in the patient lounge is discouraged so that patients can access the lounge at any time. Special arrangements can be made with the Social Worker or Nurse Clinician for preparing younger family members who are seeing the injured patient for the first time. Please direct special requests or concerns to the Nurse Clinician or the weekend Charge Nurse. Chairs are provided for visitors. Please do not sit on the bed. There are hooks outside patient rooms for clothing use. The hospital is not responsible for personal valuables. Children Rooming in is available for one parent of younger patients. Food for the parent is not provided by the hospital and must be brought in. A fridge and microwave are available. Also ask about our shower and laundry facilities. Remember that rest time for you, the parent, is important too. Take time for yourself. It is not necessary for you to be with your child at all times. Treatments are usually done in the morning. Parents usually choose to be absent at this time. If you wish to touch or hold your child, or to assist in care giving activities, please speak with the nurse. Flowers and Gifts Fresh flowers are not allowed at the BPU, as they harbour insects and bacteria. We suggest artificial arrangements, fruit baskets or balloon bouquets to brighten a patient's room. Here are some suggested items you may want to bring to the BPU:
Each bed has a television with a pillow speaker and controls, a phone, and a radio-tape deck for the patient's use free of charge. The beds are all electric. VCRs are stationed in the patient lounge, and staff and visitors may put the tape in for the patient. The VCR controls are at the patient's bedside. Tapes are also stored in the lounge. Please ask at the nursing desk if you are interested in using them. Headsets are available for patients who are unable to hold the phone. Volunteers Our BPU has regular volunteers that work on designated days of the week. Depending on the patient's needs and individual circumstances, these volunteers offer social, emotional, and practical support to the patient, family and friends. They also provide companionship and recreational activities (e.g. playing cards, games, or taking patients for walks). If you would like the help of a volunteer, please speak to your nurse or the Social Worker. Nutrition Burn patients have a much greater need for energy (calories) and protein for healing of tissues. On admission, patients are placed on a special high-energy, high-protein diet. You may bring food from home, but we recommend high protein food containing milk, cheese, meat, eggs, fish or chicken. Please bring in small portions with the preparation date clearly marked. Snack foods such as potato chips, pop, and candies are discouraged, as they have no nutritional value for the patient. We also do not recommend bringing water, tea or coffee, as they are 'filling' and do not contribute to wound healing. If a patient is not able to eat or drink enough to meet his or her daily nutritional requirements, tube feeding may be necessary for a short time. This is explained to family members in more detail if required. Some of our Plastic Surgery patients with a Flap surgery may require a Xanthine-free diet. This is a diet free of caffeine products such as chocolate, certain soda pops, etc. Food products containing caffeine cause capillary constriction, an undesirable condition for Flap surgery patients. Click here for more information on Nutrition for Burn and Plastic Surgery Patients. |
