Caterpillar Ward

Following a medical assessment, if your child has to stay in for longer than a few hours they may be transferred to the Caterpillar children’s ward. The Unit operates a named nurse approach for the provision of nursing care. This is where a Registered Nurse per shift is responsible for your child’s care. The nurse will introduce themselves at the beginning of their shift.

If you have any medication with you either for your child or for your own personal use please give it to the nurse and they can lock it in the ward storage trolley for safety reasons.

Parent/Carer own medication - Please request this from your named nurse when required for you to administer your own medication and return to the nurse for safe storage.

All children/infants wear an identification bracelet. If there are any problems or the identification bracelet falls off or becomes damaged, please inform a member of staff immediately.

Please do not take your child off the ward unless discussed with nurse.

On entering or leaving the ward there are security doors that will require you to push the buzzer and someone will answer as quickly as possible in busy times this may take some time but please remain patient.

Please, ensure the security door closes securely behind you to enhance the safety of the children, and do not let anyone enter or leave with you each person will need to buzz and speak to a member of staff.

The main hospital doors are locked at 10pm. Only under exceptional circumstances should you go out of the building after 10pm. If it is necessary to do so, please inform a member of staff that you are leaving the ward.

Every Wednesday there is a fire alarm test, which occurs in the morning, please do not be alarmed by this.

If the fire alarm does sound, please wait for further instructions from a member of the team.