OTHER THING YOU CAN EXPECT

There may be times when staff ask you to leave the patient's bedside. This is because some of the necessary medical procedures are not pleasant and may upset you. It also gives the staff room to do their job.

Treatment

If the patient is ventilated (on a breathing machine), the nurses have to regularly clear the chest of mucus and fluid. They do this by putting a thinner tube into the breathing tube to suck up the mucus.  This is quite noisy and may cause the patient to cough or retch. The fluids given to the patient to keep them hydrated may make them look bloated and swollen. This is normal and will

improve as the patient gets better.

Behavior of the patient

If the patient in the ICU has been given sedatives, the sedatives will be gradually reduced as the patient gets better. This process is called weaning. Depending on how ill they were, the drugs they needed and how long they were sedated for, the weaning process can take hours or it can take days. During the weaning process,

the patient will be drowsy and confused, particularly in the early stages, but it's a necessary step and it means they're getting

better.

If you're unhappy with the care being given to a patient

The staff normally do all they can to keep relatives informed about what treatment is given and why. Where possible, they will let the patient and relatives know what treatment options they have. If there is anything you don't understand or want to know more about, ask the staff.  If you're unhappy with the care being given to the patient and you are not able to deal with this through the ICU staff, you can contact the hospital Nursing Officer who will help you to find the answers you need.

If the patient is your spouse

If the patient is your spouse, you may suddenly feel very alone.  Accept offers of help from friends and family. You will have less time to do things like shopping and may need help with childcare. Often, in times of worry and stress, people turn to their partner for support. If you don't feel like you can tell other family members about your worries of what may happen in case you upset them, you could get help from Public Relation Office and ask about Support Group Community.

Make sure that your bills are being paid and if you need to get access to your partner's bank account, contact your bank and explain the situation. You may be able to get temporary control of the account while your partner is not able to deal with these things. If money becomes a problem, contact Public Relation Office for information on any financial help and benefits that are available to you.

When the patient comes out of the ICU

You may have a reaction to the stress that you have been under once the patient is out of danger. If you feel guilty, worried or depress you can get help and information from the social service department. They may be able to arrange counseling, so that you can talk to someone about what has happened.