Open Accessibility Menu
Hide
dfh
Close Alert
Close Alert
A stay in Critical Care can sometimes be stressful and overwhelming. Washington Hospital Healthcare System provides an array of support services for patients and their families to help make the experience here go as smoothly as possible. The following services and resources are available to help make you comfortable during your visit or stay, or to meet a special need:
Upon admission to Critical Care, family members can be provided with a journal to write in. For family members, having a patient in Critical Care can be a highly stressful experience. Studies have shown that writing in a daily journal at the bedside can relieve some anxiety and stress that families feel. When returning home, the journals enable patients to make sense of their Critical Care experience. A Critical Care journal can be a place where family members:
At discharge, the patient and/or family take the journal home.
Washington Hospital understands that meeting the emotional and spiritual needs of our patients is important for the healing process. We recognize that our patients and their families come from diverse backgrounds, religions and faiths. Washington Hospital has interfaith chaplains available to provide compassionate support to meet your needs.
Our interfaith spiritual care staff can provide:
To request a chaplain or to contact the Spiritual Care Program, please call
510.818.6569, or tell the bedside nurse you want spiritual support.
After hours, call the Hospital operator.
The goals of palliative care are to alleviate physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering and provide patients with the best quality of life. The patient's multidisciplinary support team may include doctors, nurses, social workers, therapists, and counselors who work to relieve symptoms like pain, anxiety, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting.
The Hospital has two nondenominational meditation rooms available to everyone, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The meditation rooms offer a quiet space for reflection, prayer books from many faith traditions, and prayer rugs and kneeling stools. One is located on the first floor of the Main Hospital, across the hall from the surgery waiting room. The second medication room is located on the first floor of the Morris Hyman Critical Care Pavilion.
Dealing with an illness can be a very difficult time for patients and their loved ones. At Washington Hospital, experienced and sensitive social workers and case managers are available to assist patients and their families cope with the many psychological and social problems that may arise when facing an illness, hospitalization and medical treatment.
Our social workers act as patient advocates by serving as counselors, helping to find resources and solving problems. When medically necessary, case managers also help arrange alternate levels of care for patients after leaving the Hospital, which may include rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospice, or board and care homes. Any concerns related to the psychological, practical or social well-being of each patient or their loved ones may be discussed openly with our social workers.
Our social workers and case managers offer a wide range of services, including:
It is important that you stay rested and healthy for your loved one. Take breaks, drink fluids, eat nutritional foods, and get exercise and rest.
Helpful link: Taking Care of YOU: Self-Care for Family Caregivers
https://www.caregiver.org/taking-care-you-self-care-family-caregivers
Non-intensivist consulting physicians: Depending on the patient’s specific illness, other subspecialist physicians may be consulted by the intensivist to help manage the patient.
Respiratory therapists manage the ventilator (breathing machine) and provide breathing treatments to patients with breathing problems.
Dietitians evaluate the patient’s specific nutritional needs and make feeding recommendations to the intensivist.
Physical therapists start the rehabilitation process in Critical Care to minimize loss of strength and mobility. Occupational therapists assist the patient to be able to engage in the activities of daily living.
Speech therapists help patients who have trouble with speech or swallowing. These functions are often impaired during critical illness. Speech therapists will help us determine what foods, if any, the patient can safely swallow.
Social workers help provide patients and families with psychosocial support needed to cope with illness. They help provide patient education and counseling, and make referrals to other services.
Case managers help determine the patient’s needs prior to discharge and help coordinate the proper arrangements for patients as they prepare to leave the Hospital.
Spiritual care specialists provide families with emotional and spiritual support during times of critical illness. They offer prayer, religious rituals or sacraments, and support with end-of-life issues.
Palliative care provides support and guides families of patients who are extremely ill in making difficult medical decisions.