 For
a family with a loved one who could be in the ICU for days
or weeks, it’s important to establish a schedule as
close to normal as possible. You should get proper and regular
sleep and eat regularly. This is vital to keep you from getting
exhausted and sick. Lack of sleep and food makes for emotional
instability and poor decision-making. Equally important, it
does not aid in the recovery of your loved one.
Generally you should take breaks during the day and leave the hospital rather than staying in the Family Room all day. Remember you need to take care of yourself. Get the rest, food and fresh air you need. Doing so will help keep you strong, able to think clearly, and make the best contribution to your loved one.
The Family Room is available for the use of family members of ICU patients. The Family Room supports up to 22 families. When it is full, we ask that each family have a maximum of 2 visitors in the family room. The remainder of family members are asked to wait in the lobby. If children under the age of 12 accompany family members, they are required to be supervised by an adult at all times in the main lobby and not in the family room. When spending time in the Family Room, we ask that you consider the needs of other families so that the space can be shared in a way that’s fair for everyone
For your comfort and convenience there is a kitchenette with fridge and microwave for your use, a public washroom and consultation room for privacy.
Housekeeping staff clean the family room regularly, however we ask that each visitor tidy up the kitchen after use, keep personal belongings tidy, and not allow them to accumulate in the family room. We also ask that food not be left in the fridge. Since the Family Room is available for the use of several families at a time, we also ask that everyone respects items unattended by others.
A family spokesperson is an immediate or close family member who is elected by the family to relay the information between the ICU Care Team and the entire family. This person should be someone who listens well, speaks well, tends to remain calm in a crisis and is respected by other family members. A spokesperson benefits the family by relaying updates and status reports on the patient’s condition to family and friends. A spokesperson benefits the patient and ICU Care Team by eliminating the time spent with telephone calls from multiple family members, and leaving more time to spend with the patient.
Once a spokesperson is selected by the family, the spokesperson’s name and telephone number(s) should be given to the ICU nurse.
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