520
Detailed Needs and Requirements: Self Care Unit
524.1.4
Primary Users
1. Patients
All patients on the unit will feel relatively well and function as in a home
environment. They will be admitted to the unit from the community or
from a general nursing unit for the purpose of undergoing diagnostic
studies or therapy which cannot feasibly be provided on an outpatient
basis, or for instruction in the management of a chronic illness, e.g.
diabetes. In addition, individual hospitals may elect to use self care
units for pre-operative patients.
Pre-operative patients will be visited by the surgeon and the
anesthesiologist. Other patients will not ordinarily see physicians on
the unit.
The patient may be anxious about his condition. He may frequently
seek information about test results and test schedules. Patients will be
individually responsible for keeping appointments and for remaining on
the premises. The patient will likely seek social or recreational
activities with other patients on the unit to occupy time not devoted to
scheduled activity.
Patients will receive individual instruction on the unit from nursing
personnel, dietitians, physiotherapists or other members of the staff.
On occasion, however, this instruction will occur off the unit.
Automated teaching devices may be employed for supplemental
instruction. Group instruction may be given to patients assembled on
the unit or in the outpatient clinic.
All patients will be dressed in street clothes during the day. With the
exception of those on special diets, patients will be expected to eat
their meals in the hospital canteen. Meals served on the unit will not
be eaten in patient rooms.
2. Physicians
Normally a physician will not be required on the unit; however, one
should be immediately available if needed for emergency treatment.
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