Coronary Care Unit (CCU) and Cardiology Ward

Welcome to Cardiology inpatient services which include the  Coronary Care Unit and a Cardiology ward providing a total of 31 beds. Both areas are managed by clinical matron Katie Hill, sister Amy Mitchell and supported by operational services manager for Cardiology Natalie Prosser. The coronary care unit and cardiology ward are located on the first floor of the Sherborne Building. A dedicated team of cardiac nurses provide specialist nursing care to patients with cardiology needs.

Coronary Care Unit

The Coronary Care Unit provides care for the more acutely ill cardiac patients. We have cardiac monitoring facilities, and care for patients with a range of conditions including heart attacks. Highly skilled cardiac nurses and doctors deliver individualised plans of care for each patient, which may include cardiac interventional procedures, referral to other specialist centres or outpatient follow up. Our nursing ration is one nurse to four patients. The ward is co-ordinated by a deputy sister or charge nurse at all times.

Cardiology ward

The cardiology ward care for less acutely ill cardiac patients and has a heart failure focus supported by a heart failure specialist nurse. We can provide telemetry monitoring and post intervention care.

We also support medical patients within our department who have a cardiac history.

All our nursing staff are skilled in cardiac monitoring and patient education on cardiac conditions and medications. Every patient post heart attack is seen by cardiac rehab before discharge and has a follow up plan in place. Our nursing ratio is one to six. The ward is co-ordinated by two deputy sisters.

In response to patient feedback, our cardiology team also includes a senior pharmacist who is available to give patient education and prepare medications to take hope to speed up the discharge process.

We also have a physiotherapist and occupational therapist on the wards every day during the week to maintain mobility and independence. Again this is to enhance the discharge process once patients are medically fit to go home.

Our nursing care is patient focused and our aim is to deliver care to meet the needs of our patients and their families. For this reason we have extended our visiting times to 12pm until 7pm, but please discuss with nursing team if you have additional visiting requirements. We operate a strict “protected mealtimes” rule between 1pm and 3pm so our patients can eat their lunch uninterrupted and get some rest before afternoon visiting. Families are welcome to stay during lunch to help their relative if required.  Overnight accommodation can be made available to relatives in special circumstances, please speak to the nurse in charge.

All inpatient wards at Hampshire Hospitals have adopted John’s Campaign, which allows the carers of patients with dementia to stay in hospital with their loved ones if they wish.