Visiting restricted to ICU

June 29, 2009



Visiting restricted to ICU

The severity of some patients with acute respiratory illness at Hawke’s Bay Hospital Soldiers’ Memorial has meant some of these patients have needed to be managed in the Intensive Care - High Dependency Unit

Intensive Care clinical director Ross Freebairn said as a result visiting to the unit would be strictly limited to one immediate family member at all times during visiting hours.

Dr Freebairn said he apologised for any difficulty this placed on families but it was an essential part of infection control within the hospital at this time.

Visitors to the unit would be asked to use hand sanitising gel, which was available at the entrance and within the unit, on entering and leaving the unit.

Children under 15 years of age would not be permitted to enter the unit and to prevent further infections visitors with colds or flu –like symptoms would not be able to visit patients, Dr Freebairn said.

ENDS

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