Going to the Ward

Going to the ward is a change and for some cause anxiety. You will only be moved to the ward when the Critical Care medical team feels you are well enough. They will let you know this before you go. The Critical Care doctors, nurses and therapists will hand over any information about you to the ward, so your care and rehabilitation is continued.

The daily routines, the staff and sounds are different. Other patients are likely to be well enough to talk to you, however some may be confused or noisy and this can be disturbing. As you get better, you will not need 1:1 observation. There will be fewer nurses on the ward to the number of patients, but they will still be checking your observations regularly and will be happy to help you if you press your call bell.

The process of recovery from critical care is not always easy. Going to the ward means you are becoming more independent. This can be hard work and very tiring. Learning to eat and swallow again, getting washed and dressed, going to the toilet normally are far from trivial tasks. Setting small realistic goals with the rehabilitation team will help reach your target. They will also help you explore plans for going home.