Family and Visitors

Please note that Wairarapa DHB is smokefree on all sites, buildings and vehicles.

Welcome

We recognise the important role of family/whanau and friends in maintaining wellbeing for patients. We will work with you to find the balance between:

• the patients need for support and for rest
• the needs of other patients
• the requirements of treatment

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours are between 2.00pm and 8.00pm.

You are welcome to use the hospital cafe for some excellent coffee while you wait for visiting hours, or at any other time.

There is a visitor-free time for patients in all areas between 12.00pm - 2.00pm so patients can rest. Morning visits are usually not appropriate, as many treatments and doctors' rounds take place, and privacy is particularly important at these times. Please check with staff for details, or if you need an exception to this.

Special arrangements

When patients are children, or are seriously or terminally ill, special arrangements can be made with the nurse in charge to visit at other times.

Expectations of visitors

Visiting the hospital has some responsibilities.

For your safety and the comfort of other patients, visitors are asked to:

• have no more than two people at the bedside at a time (if another visitor arrives, decide who will leave, go for a walk, or wait outside the ward)
• respect the safety, comfort and privacy of patients, visitors and staff
• respect the environment
• supervise children at all times
• stay away if you have a cold or infection
• leave quickly and quietly if requested by staff (you could be asked to leave the bedside for treatment or safety reasons, or if you are causing a disturbance)

Parking

All parking on the hospital site is free. Only mobility card holders, however, may use the disabled carparks. Please also respect the 'staff only' parking areas, which provide appropriate access and lighting for on-call or shift workers. The speed limit is 30 kmph maximum in the hospital grounds.

Security

All staff wear identity badges. Health professional students and visitors on official business also wear identity badges. Please don't be offended if we inquire into your business on the site. You may be questioned if you are on site out of normal visiting hours, or in an area not usually used by members of the public. It is important for us all to protect the well being and safety of both people and property. All visitors on site after 8.00pm will be monitored.

To protect the safety of people and property, only use emergency exits in an emergency. Otherwise, do not open or use external doors other than the main entrances.

Where can visitors eat?

The hospital cafe is available for staff and visitors. Please follow the signs from the main corridor. It is open:

Monday to Friday             6.30am to 3.00pm, 5.45pm to 6.45pm for evening meals.
Saturday and Sundays     7.00am to 1pm, 5.45pm to 6.45pm.

Free tea and coffee is available in the dining room for visitors, specialist coffees and other beverages are available for purchase.

Accommodation

Arrangements can be made for you to stay with terminally or seriously ill patients or with your child/tamariki. An up-to-date list of motels and other accommodation facilities is available from the Enquiries desk in the main foyer. Many of them offer discounts to friends or relatives of hospital patients.

Whanau on-site accommodation

An onsite whanau house provides accommodation on the hospital site, for family/whanau who live out-of-town or have a critically ill relative at the hospital. Families/whanau may contact the Maori Health Coordinator through the hospital telephonist at any time to make arrangements or for further information.

Phones

Cell phones may be used in hospital buildings, but not within 1 metre of any monitoring equipment as they can interfere with some sensitive equipment (like on aeroplanes). A payphone is available near the front entrance.

Please call a family/whanau member or friend, rather than the hospital, for an update on a patient's condition—this gives staff much more time to spend with patients.

Tips for visitors

There are lots of ways you can help your friend or family/whanau member while they are in hospital. Here are some ways you can help them get the best from your visit.

Always ask a nurse before bringing food or drink into the ward—there may be reasons why eating food or a particular food or drink is not advisable.

Sit down quickly so you are at eye level when you talk. Talk to, not over your friend.

Speak quietly and clearly. Lower your tone, don't raise your voice if you think you are not being heard clearly.

Many patients find it hard to eat when they have visitors. Unless they need help, leave or go for a walk when your friend's meal arrives. They may be too embarrassed or shy to ask you to go.

Many patients find it hard to go to the toilet, feed a baby, ask for a nurse, ask for pain relief etc. when they have visitors, so

Keep visits short. 15 minutes may feel short to you, but it's a long time when you are a patient. Save longer visits for when your friend is at home.

If someone else arrives, consider leaving. It can be overwhelming to be surrounded by visitors.

Consider how you can help when your friend goes home—a visit then is often far more use then when they are in hospital, surrounded by help on every side!