General Surgical Wards - Welcome to the Pioneer Ward

The Pioneer Ward is a 14 bedded surgical unit that cares for patients undergoing surgery. The ward is a 23-hour ward, open 7 days a week and provides day surgery and inpatient overnight stays if required post operatively.

We extend a warm welcome to you and hope that your stay with us is a pleasant as possible. For most people a stay in hospital, however brief, is a daunting prospect. To try and allay any fears you may have, we have produced this leaflet for you. It contains general information about your admission, anaesthetic, operation, and discharge. If you have any queries, no matter how small, please telephone the ward.

Your surgical procedure will involve you being on the ward for a number of hours. Relatives/carers who are collecting you following your procedure will be telephoned by the nursing staff when you are ready to be discharged.

If you are under the age of 19, classed as a vulnerable patient or have a registered carer, you are eligible to have them stay with you throughout your hospital stay. To prevent prolonged waiting, we may operate a staggered admission system. Your admission time is not your operation time.

We would ask that you inform us if you cannot attend so that your appointment may be reallocated to another patient. If you need an interpreter, please inform the hospital prior to your admission. As per Trust policy we cannot use a family member to interpret.

The Pioneer Ward

On arrival you must report to the nursing station, a nurse will then be allocated to look after you and plan your care during your stay. The nurse will explain more about the ward, prepare you for your operation, ensure all the relevant information is correct and answer any questions you may have.

Prior to your operation, you will meet the surgeon and anaesthetist (if required) and if you have not already done so, you will be asked to sign a consent form. Depending on your approximate operation time you may be called once all pre- operative preparations have been carried out. At the appropriate time you will be asked to change into a theatre gown.

What you need to know

General Anaesthetic

If you are having a general anaesthetic, you should make arrangements for a responsible adult to be available to take you home by car or taxi. If you don’t have a responsible adult to take care of you, the ward will facilitate an overnight stay on the ward, where you will be cared for until discharge the following day.

You need to be looked after for 24 hours following discharge. You may also need help if you have very young children or elderly dependants. Parents/guardians of patients under 16 years of age must accompany their child on admission so that a signed consent can be given. Parents/guardians are welcome to stay with their child until discharge.

If you are having a general anaesthetic, you MUST NOT eat anything for at least 6 hours before your admission. This also includes sweets and chewing gum. You may drink water up to two hours prior to admission. You will be given specific instructions at your pre-operative assessment. If your operation is in the morning, this usually means nothing from midnight the night before. If your operation is in the afternoon, then this means nothing to eat after a light breakfast i.e. a small bowl of cereal or a slice of toast and a drink at 07:00 hours.

• If you wear glasses, please make sure you bring them with you on the day. This is so you can see the relevant legal paperwork which must be signed before you can have your operation/ procedure
• Failure to attend the pre-operative assessment clinic will result in your operation being cancelled.

On the day of admission it is essential that you bring the following items with you:

• Dressing gown and slippers (if you have them)
• A list of medication you are taking including times and dosages
• Any inhalers you are using

Please have a bath/shower before you arrive and remove all nail varnish, false eyelashes, make-up and body piercings before coming into hospital. Also please DO NOT use any talc or body lotion on your skin on the day of your admission.

Sedation

Please follow the same instructions as for a general anaesthetic.

Local Anaesthetic

The effects of a local anaesthetic should wear off within a few hours. If you feel any discomfort, take your usual painkillers. It is advisable to rest at home for the remainder of the day. You may eat and drink normally.

Medications

If you normally take medication, then please follow the instructions you were given at the pre-operative assessment clinic. Use inhalers as normal and bring them with you to the ward. Continue to take medication as normal following your discharge unless you have been told not to do so. With certain procedures, other medications may be prescribed and need to be taken after discharge. The discharging nurse will give a verbal explanation to you and a relative/carer for these and how they are to be administered.

Valuables

Please do not bring with you large sums of money or articles of great value. Please leave all jewellery at home. Your belongings will be safely and securely placed at you bed space during your admission, there are small lockers with keys that are available.

If you have brought along any items that you are not happy to have left in this area then The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust cannot accept responsibility for the loss of patients’ property and you will be asked to sign a disclaimer to this effect on admission.

Mobile phones

In the interest of patient safety we ask that you do not use mobile phones, two-way radios or cordless phones within the hospitals. These can affect the reliability of life saving and technical equipment.

Staff and training

An important part of the role of the hospital is to train members of the health professions which cannot be achieved without the co-operation of patients. Medical students, student nurses and other staff undertaking training in our hospitals are attached to the team responsible for your care. We hope that you will agree to co-operate in this work. If however, you do not wish to take part in any medical, nursing or other teaching work, you are entitled to refuse without your treatment being affected in any way. In this case, you should inform the nurse in charge of your care as soon as possible.

After the operation

When your operation/procedure is over and you have recovered satisfactorily from your anaesthetic you will be transferred from the recovery area to the ward. When fully recovered you will be given light refreshments. In the case of a local anaesthetic you will be given refreshments immediately on return to the ward. If you have had a general anaesthetic, your recovery time may result in you being on the ward for several hours prior to discharge, this will depend on the individual patients post- operative nurse assessment.

Before we are able to discharge you home you must be comfortable, not vomiting or feeling sick, be able to walk, have passed urine and must have had something to eat and drink. You may be given painkillers before going home. Take them regularly as prescribed for the first 48 hours. Do not wait until the pain is unbearable.

Discharge

When we are happy to allow you home, you may arrange someone to come and collect you. It is essential that a responsible adult accompanies you home. Do not go home alone in a taxi or by public transport. Before discharge you will be given verbal and written information about your aftercare. For further information or to answer any queries you may have, please contact the ward directly

Anaesthetic drugs stay in the body for 24 hours and gradually wear off over this period. During the first 24 hours it is important that you obey the following:

• Do not drive a car or ride a bike as your insurance will not cover you
• Do not operate any machinery or electrical appliances
• Do not drink alcohol
• Do not lock the toilet/bathroom door or make yourself inaccessible to your carer
• Do not make important decisions or sign documents
• Do not take strenuous exercise
• Do not look after children on your own
• We advise that you have a supply of pain killers at home

National Insurance

If you are advised to return to work in 7 days then you can cover your sickness absence with a self-certification form available from the General Office on all hospital sites. The ward will issue you with a medical certificate to cover your anticipated sickness or until your follow-up appointment (where relevant). Please ask a member of staff for this certificate before you are discharged home.

Transport

An ambulance cannot be booked unless it is required on medical grounds. If suitable your GP will arrange this for you 48 hours before your admission. Please ask your GP to make these arrangements for you.

Correspondence

If we want to see you again an out-patient appointment will be sent to you in the post. Should you have any problems regarding your condition or when you arrive home following your discharge, please contact the Pioneer Ward for advice.

We hope that you will be happy with the care that we deliver, but if at any time you have any concerns regarding any aspect of your stay on the Pioneer Ward please inform the nurse in charge, you can also speak with the Unit Manager or the Lead Nurse.

We aim to be able to resolve any issues raised on the shop floor. However, if you feel this has not been possible then you can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 0161 778 5665, leaflets are also available on request from the nurse in charge.

Contact Details

The Pioneer Ward situated on level C at Rochdale Infirmary, Whitehall Street, Rochdale OL12 0NB.

Telephone Number: 01706 517213 or 01706 517211

Ward Manager - Sister Jade Lovatt