LBIRU Visitor Information

The following information is provided to help patients settle into the Unit more easily. If any of this information is not clear please ask a member of staff to explain further. As this is a rehabilitation unit, there are some differences in the way patients are managed from how they were managed in the acute ward.

This page covers information for inpatients and visitors as well as information regarding weekend leave, discharge, confidentiality.

The Inpatient Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit - Inpatient & Visitor Information

Visiting Hours

Liverpool Hospital visiting hours are 10.00am to 1.00pm and 3.00pm to 8.00pm.

These visiting times can be flexible. If there is a need to visit outside of these hours do not hesitate to speak to the Nursing Unit Manager or the nurse in charge of that shift.

Between 12.30pm and 1.30pm patients are eating lunch or being fed by the nursing staff. We encourage family members not to be in the dining room during this time as patients are up to different stages with their feeding and can be distracted or feel uncomfortable and embarrassed if family members are present. Please note that in the early stages of recovery when the patient is confused you may be asked to limit visitors to two at a time. Patients often become agitated or very tired when there are too many visitors at once.

Receiving phone calls

There is a telephone beside each patient's bed which is for incoming calls. The nursing staff will tell you the extension number of your phone. It is best to ring between 9.00am and 8.00pm. (Outside of these hours, there are fewer nursing staff on duty and they may not have the time to transfer personal calls as patient care is the priority.)

There are public phones located in the main hospital

Staff Specialists

The staff specialists in charge of the patients do a weekly ward round on Mondays from 2.00pm to 4.00pm. Relatives are welcome to be present if they wish to speak to the doctors, in brief.

What patients need to bring

The patient should bring their own soap, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, talc, hairbrush/comb, and day clothes (e.g. track pants, shorts, T-shirts, sloppy joe, socks and shoes). We also encourage family members to bring in items that are familiar to the patient. Many long term patients bring in posters, photos, music, fluffy toys, etc. If you are unsure about a particular item then ask the Nursing unit Manager.

Patients wear casual clothes during the day rather than wearing pyjamas/ nightdresses. Comfortable clothing such as a tracksuit is ideal, particularly when the patient is attending physiotherapy.

Private rooms

There are no private rooms in the LBIRU and only a limited number of single rooms. Single rooms are allocated according to a patient's condition, such as patients requiring more intensive nursing care or those who have special needs have priority. At times it may be necessary to move a patient to another room when new patients are admitted or if there is a change in a patient’s condition. Room moves are necessary and at least 80% of patients experience this during their stay.

Laundry

The washing machine and dryer in the unit are for hospital items (e.g. chest restraints). If you are unable to take the patient's washing home then arrangements can be made for a launderer to collect the washing.

Relatives Lounge

The 'Relatives Lounge' is a place where relatives can have a quiet break from the ward and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee. Please feel free to use this when you need time out. We ask that you don't take patients into the Relatives Lounge. Alternatively, there is a cafeteria and florist in the main hospital building.

Religious Matters

There is a non-denominational Christian Chapel as well as a Muslim Prayer Room located nearby in the hospital.

Locking of the front door at 5.00pm

We are located in an isolated area of the hospital grounds. The door has to be locked at 5.30pm because of security reasons. The door is also locked at all times during the weekend.

To access the unit, please press the button to the right of the door. Staff will then open the door ASAP. Please be aware that as there are less staff on of a weekend, it may take longer for them to open the door for you.

Other information

Where possible, patients are encouraged to sit out of bed during the day for increasing periods of time. This helps to reduce medical complications.

For more visitor information and frequently asked questions, visit our resources page.

We hope that each patient has as pleasant a stay as possible and if you or your family are unhappy about any issues we would appreciate it if you would talk to one of the following people:

Nursing Unit Manager (their office is at the entrance to the ward)
Inpatient Programme Co-ordinator – Anne Pfaff
Your Social Worker

How You Can Help

Encouraging therapy

Patients often do not have any insight into their problems and therefore do not understand why they need to attend therapy. It helps staff if relatives/friends encourage the patient to attend therapy. It is often preferable if visitors come to see the patient at a time when they are not in therapy as patients often try to use the fact that they have visitors as an excuse for not attending therapy.

After a patient has been assessed a therapy timetable will be placed on the noticeboard in his/her room. This will help family and friends to plan their visiting outside therapy times.

Helping recovery

One of the aims of rehabilitation is to help patients to be as independent as possible therefore we ask relatives to encourage the patient to do things for him/herself rather than you do everything for them. If you are not sure what the patient is capable of doing check with the therapy or nursing staff.

Weekend Leave and Discharge

When you go home for weekend leave it is important that you follow the advice given to you by staff as you are still recovering from your injuries and are not yet ready to engage in some activities.

• DO NOT drink alcohol - even small quantities of alcohol can increase the risk of you having an epileptic fit. Alcohol will also affect you more quickly than it did before your injury.

• DO NOT use illegal substances or drugs (eg. marijuana, speed, heroin) as they can cause behavioural problems and confusion and can increase the risk of having an epileptic fit.

• DO NOT drive a motor vehicle or ride a motorbike/trail bike/pushbike.

• DO NOT engage in risky/dangerous activities such as using power tools (eg electric saw), climbing ladders/scaffolding (as you may feel dizzy and lose your balance), or completing electrical repairs. These activities can not be resumed until medical clearance is received as serious injury may occur.

• If you need to use public transport, please have someone accompany you.

• It is advisable not to have too many visitors as you will find that you will become tired more easily. You should have a quiet weekend with not too many activities so that you can get the rest you need.

• You should not play any sports unless the doctor has given you permission.

• If you have any other concerns please talk to medical, nursing or therapy staff before you go home.

Commencing weekend leave

Once the patient emerges from PTA, their suitability for weekend leave is assessed. Suitability for weekend leave is determined on an individual basis as factors other than PTA need to be taken into account e.g. support and supervision at home.

On the first weekend the patient is usually given only day leave and if there are no problems, overnight leave is possible the following weekend.

Discharge

A person usually remains in hospital while he is continuing to make progress in therapy and is discharged once he no longer requires intensive daily therapy. When he is discharged he will be assigned a case manager from our Community Team who will then be your contact person. Our Community therapy staff will also be involved if necessary.

The patient will initially receive a clinic appointment (with the Specialist) for 6 weeks after discharge. Future appointments will be made as required. If any medical problems occur it is best to contact your family doctor first and, if necessary, he will refer you back to the doctor at the Brain Injury Unit.

Confidentiality

The Liverpool Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit keeps up-to-date information and reports about a patient’s progress. This information is kept at the nurses’ station so that only staff can read it. Because our service is multidisciplinary, and because more than one staff member may be involved in your rehabilitation, information about your care may be shared between team members.

This Unit is very careful in making sure that your personal information is kept private. Sometimes, people outside the Unit, such as other doctors or your solicitor, need to get copies of some reports so that they can help you. We always ask for permission from you to send out this information.

No information is released to another person or organisation without your permission. Sometimes we will ask you to sign a consent form before we send written information to other people. At other times, we will ask you for your verbal consent and then document this in the medical file.

Complaining About Your or Your Relative's Care

The Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit complies with the Department of Health and the Liverpool Hospital Complaints Policies and Procedures. Significant complaints are documented and kept in a secure place in the offices of the Hospital's General Manager.

If you meet any difficulties with our service, please let us know. It is best to talk about problems when they are small, rather than let them become major issues. Many problems can be resolved this way.

You may choose to talk to another staff member of the Unit (for example, the Unit Director) about your concerns. Or, if you want to talk to an independent person, you can contact Liverpool Hospital's Patient Liaison Officer, who will look into the issue for you. Very serious matters can be referred to the New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commission.

A pamphlet is available in the Unit which goes into more detail about your options if you have a complaint.