Trauma and Life Support Center at UW Hospital and Clinics
About the TLC
The Trauma and Life Support Center provides 24-hour intensive care for people who are critically ill. Though our setting is complex, our goal is simple. We offer patients and families the utmost in medical treatment and personal care.
This booklet should help you get to know the Trauma and Life Support Center (TLC). We hope it answers your questions and helps you to feel at ease while in TLC.
TLC is for people who are critically ill from medical problems, after surgery, or from trauma. When patients first enter TLC, they often need constant care while we attach needed equipment and check their condition. We ask family and friends to wait in the TLC Waiting Room during this time. We know this is a time of great concern for you. You may come to the patient's bedside as soon as possible. We may ask you many questions about the patient's medical history and needs. You play a major role in helping us to meet these needs.
TLC Waiting Room - A7/305
The TLC Family Waiting Room has been designed for the welfare and comfort of family members and friends of patients in TLC. It can be found just down the hall from the Trauma and Life Support Center and includes lounge areas, a small kitchen, restrooms, and a shower. All of these areas are smoke-free. Smoking areas can be found outside the Main Entrance.
Other restful areas in which to wait include the cafeteria or the Friends Business Center in the C/2 lobby. Our goal is to make you feel safe & relaxed. As in any public place, please guard your belongings against theft.
Visiting Hours
Please call before entering the patient’s room. In order to be respectful of patient privacy and to be able to safely manage the number of visitors, we require all family and visitors to call the unit desk before entering a patient room. Phones are located in the TLC Waiting Room. It’s best to go there first. From there, phone the TLC.
Beds 1-12 Dial 3-8134
Beds 13-24 Dial 3-8954
You will need to call before each visit.
The staff will check to see if the patient is ready for a visit. If you are asked to wait when you call, it is often because time is needed for routine care or procedures. If you are concerned, ask to speak with the bedside nurse.
As a rule of thumb, we request that no more than 2-4 people visit the patient at a time. You may stay in the room as long as you wish. But if your loved one is busy with cares or needs to rest, you may be asked to step out of the room or come back later.
Guidelines for Primary Supports and Visitors
The University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics supports a patient and family centered approach to care. We have defined two types of people who may be with you during your stay. Primary Support Persons are the few people you are closest to. Visitors are guests of you and your family.
Who are Primary Support Persons?
- People who provide you with the physical, psychological, and emotional support you need
- Your support persons may include: relatives, best friends, and a partner.
Who are Visitors?
- They are guests of you or your family.
- They may only visit at certain times during the day.
How Do I Choose my Primary Support Persons?
- Your Primary Nurse will review the Primary Support and Visitor Guidelines with you.
- At any time during your hospital stay, you may tell us who your primary support people are. Most often, this will be a small number of people.
- You are free to change your primary support persons at any time.
- We will make sure you have quiet time for rest and privacy. We will help you balance your need for support and your need for rest.
When are visiting hours?
|
Primary Supports |
Visitors |
|
Most often can come at any time based on the wishes of the patients. You will need to call the unit before entering the patient’s room. |
8 a.m. to 9 p.m., except in special situations. You will need to call the unit before entering the patient’s room. |
|
Must be over 18 years old. |
An adult must be present with all visitors under 16 years old. |
|
Due to space limits, in most cases only one support person is allowed to spend the night in a patient's room. |
Anyone who visits after 9 pmmust wear a badge and be approved by the staff on the unit caring for the patient. |
Overnight Stays
Since rest is needed for healing, we try to provide quiet time for patients. Overnight stays are allowed for primary support persons and for authorized visitors. The request for an overnight stay in the patient room may be declined by the patient’s nurse, based on the care needs of the patient and space available. Due to limited space in the patient’s rooms and the TLC Waiting Room, we suggest that only one or two people to spend the night. TLC patients are assessed often; rest may be interrupted throughout the night for persons staying in the patient’s room.
How are Badges Obtained?
Our goal is to provide a safe environment. One way to ensure this is to give after hour badges to those people who have been granted permission to stay after 9 p.m. Primary support persons and visitors must obtain an ID badge in order to stay after hours.
- Primary Support
- To get an ID badge, primary support persons must receive a card from the unit staff. The card is then taken to the Security Office near the Main Entrance of the hospital. This must be done before 9 p.m.
- The badge will be valid for one week. It may be used until the date printed on the badge.
- Visitors
- Visitors who have been given permission to visit after hours must also receive a card from the unit staff. The card is then taken to the Security Office near the Main Entrance of the hospital to obtain a badge. This must be done before 9 p.m.
- This badge is valid for only one night.
Other Guidelines
- Items of value should not be brought to the hospital. Only bring items that are needed, like glasses or hearing aids. The hospital is not responsible for lost or misplaced items.
- If the people who come to see you need a place to spend the night, they can call the Housing Coordinator at 263-0315 for help in finding a local hotel.
Children Visiting in TLC
If you plan to bring a child to visit, please let the patient’s nurse know so we can prepare for the visit. A visit to the hospital may be new and perhaps scary for a child. One of the best ways to prepare the child is to take time to explain what the child may see and hear before coming into the patient’s room. Although you may not be able to answer all of the child's questions, try to give them basic, honest information. Use language the child will understand. Help the child to ask questions and express concerns. A social worker is here to help prepare a child to visit in TLC if you wish. While in TLC, children must be with an adult at all times.
Please be sure that all children who visit are healthy and have not been recently exposed to illnesses that spread, such as chickenpox, diarrhea, and respiratory infections. Also, please do not allow children to lie or sit on the floor, or run around the TLC nursing unit. We thank you for your help with this concern.
If you do not feel well yourself, ask your nurse’s advice about whether you should visit in the patient’s room.
A Caution to Visitors
We measure all fluids that go into the body and come out. Please do not give water or food to your friend or family member without talking to the patient's nurse. Also, please allow us to empty all bedpans and urinals.
The Patient Room
All of our TLC patient rooms are private rooms. They are designed to let sunlight in and to maintain a quiet, restful place for patients. Each room has its own controls for heat and light as well as controls for special equipment.
Equipment - A Patient’s Lifeline
In the TLC, state-of-the-art equipment helps us to keep a close eye on and support patients. When you enter a patient's room, you will see many machines that connect to your loved one. The tubes, lines, and machines are lifelines for patients. Some track heartbeats and breathing patterns. Others check blood pressure and vital signs. Some help patients breathe or control the amount of fluids a patient receives. We know that it may be scary to see tubes and machines attached to your loved one. Be assured that as soon as the patient no longer needs them, they will be removed.
The Alarms
When you first enter the patient's room, you may notice a lot of sounds. Most of the machines beep when they need attention. Try not to be too concerned with these alarms. Many are often triggered by patient movement. Nurses will answer the alarms at the bedside or at a central station. Do not try to respond to the alarm yourself. If you have questions about the machines, please ask.
Isolation and Cleansing Your Hands
Patients may be placed in isolation to prevent the spread of infection or to protect them when their bodies are not able to fight infections. If a patient is in isolation, you'll find a sign outside the patient's room. You may need to wear a gown, mask, and gloves while in the patient's room. Please ask the nurse if you need to wear them before you enter the room.
Be sure to cleanse your hands before and after you enter a patient’s room, for each visit. Alcohol hand gel is available throughout the unit for everyone’s use.
TV and Phone
Each patient room has a TV and phone. When the patient isn’t able to speak, please let us know what radio and TV programs he or she likes. You may bring in a CD or DVD player for the patient. For safety, our Plant Engineering Department must inspect all electrical equipment brought in from home.
Personal Items
Fresh cut flowers and plants are not allowed because of germs in the water or soil. Cards, pictures, drawings or Mylar balloons are welcome, and a recent photo of your loved one before this illness helps the staff see them as much more than a patient in our care. We will gladly hang these up in the patient's room.
Restraints
At times, the patient may need soft restraints placed on their wrists to prevent pulling tubes out or getting out of bed without help. Please be assured that we will check these often. We will remove them as soon as it is safe. The nurse can tell you more about restraints.
The Doctors
Each patient has a staff doctor who directs his or her care. Working with this doctor is a team of interns, residents, and fellows. Though they are doctors-in-training, many of them have had several years of training. The doctor in charge of your loved one's care may also bring in one or more specialists for further help and advice. For instance, a surgeon would be called in if someone had a ruptured spleen.
The Nurses
The nurses of TLC have special training in caring for the critically ill and injured patients. These nurses watch the patient closely and work with the doctors to plan and give care. The bedside nurse can give you current reports. Please tell them if you have concerns or helpful hints about what the patient likes or dislikes.
UWHC practices Primary Nursing. This means that one nurse will be responsible for getting to know the patient and working with him or her to create a plan of care. When your Primary Nurse is not here, we try to assign the same nurses, as much as we can, to care for the patient during his or her stay in the TLC. This helps us to know the patient and family better and to provide consistent care. Also, there is a Care Team Leader on each side of TLC. If you have concerns or questions, please ask the nurse or Care Team Leader.
The Clinical Support Staff
TLC has a large support staff to help provide total care to your loved one. You may see some of these staff members caring for your loved one. Others you may never see, but they are there to support the team. The support staff includes: Respiratory Therapists, Pharmacists, Occupational and Physical Therapists, Speech Therapists, X-ray Technicians, EEG/EKG Technicians, Dietitians, Health Unit Coordinators, Transporters, Volunteers, and Central Supply workers.
The Social Worker
We try to provide extra support for you in this time of need. Our TLC social worker helps family members and patients regain some sense of balance and hope. In the face of life-threatening illnesses and trauma, the social worker works with others to meet some of your emotional, social, and every day needs. The social worker can help with counseling, crisis intervention, and information about financial, legal, and community help. If you feel you need this kind of help, a nurse can help you reach a social worker.
Spiritual Care Services
Many patients and families receive comfort and meaning in their faith at a time like this. The TLC hospital chaplain can assist you or arrange for a visit from a minister of your own denomination. All of our chaplains are here to give you spiritual support and to perform sacraments upon request. Please let us know if you would like to see a chaplain.
The Flad Family Chapel is always open for meditation. You can find it in the American Family Children’s Hospital, in room 1139, next to the Community Room.
Sunday Chapel Services: All services are held in the Flad Family Chapel, room 1339 in the American Family Children’s Hospital.
Roman Catholic 4 p.m.
Patient Relations
TLC is a large and complex unit so problems sometimes arise. Most of the time these problems can be managed by working with the medical and nursing staff. Sometimes though special problems occur that the Patient Relations staff can help resolve. The bedside nurse will call them at your request.
Hospital Volunteers
Volunteers make special efforts to provide for your comfort. They are very willing to talk to you, so feel free to let them know if you have questions or need someone to talk to. Volunteers are very willing to escort or guide visitors to the cafeteria and other locations throughout the hospital.
About Communication
Talking with the Team
Getting correct and timely information about your family member or friend is one of your greatest needs right now. In TLC, we try to talk with family and friends as soon as we can after the patient arrives on the unit. Get to know the doctors and nurses taking care of the patient. They will keep you informed of the health and progress of your loved one. You may want to write the names of the doctors and nurses in the space at the end of this booklet. Feel free to jot your questions and notes down, too. Many people find this helpful.
It is helpful to have one or two family members act as the primary contact people for regular updates on the patient’s condition and plan of care. We may encourage all of the immediate family members and primary support people to join in family meetings with the care team.
In critical care, there are times when questions cannot be answered. Conditions can change very quickly. Sometimes, the doctors and nurses are only able to give you their best predictions at that time.
You will receive information from many sources. If you feel it conflicts, please be sure to check with the doctor in charge. At times, a simple change in wording can confuse you.
Close family members are welcome to call the TLC at any time to check on a patient’s health. If you have a large family, it would be helpful to have only 1-2 people call for updates and, in turn, tell the rest of the family. The best time to call the TLC is on the odd hours, as we carry out most of our cares on the even hours. We also ask that you try and avoid calling between 7-8 am and 7-8 pm. Because our patients’ needs are intense, we ask other concerned people and friends to call the waiting room to speak to family members or leave a message on the bulletin board there for that purpose. Because of privacy laws, we cannot share details with non-family members. The Family Waiting Room numbers are listed in the back of this book.
Advance Directives
Wisconsin and most states have two forms of advance medical directives – Power of Attorney for Health Care and the Declaration to Physicians (also known as the “Living Will”). Federal law requires that we have a copy of any formal advance medical directives in the patient’s medical record. Please make sure that we have a copy of any completed advance directives. If you want to learn more about advance medical directives, we can arrange for the social worker to meet with you.
Reaching the Patient
Let your loved one know that you are there. A well-known voice and a gentle touch can comfort the patient. If you are concerned or unsure of the equipment around you, ask the nurse for help.
Be yourself. There may be moments when you may feel like laughing or crying with the patient. Talk about family, friends, and special interests.
If the patient is on a ventilator and can’t talk, ask the bedside nurse for help. The nurse may be able to read lips or provide a writing or letter board to help you. It helps to ask only questions that require a "yes" or "no" answer.
Important Information
Admissions
Admissions is on the 2nd (main) floor in the E module, across from the Gift Shop. The hours are 7:00 am to 9:30 pm. The phone number is (608) 263-8770. A family member should talk with someone in Admissions within the first 24 hours that the patient is in the hospital. This office contacts insurance companies and other parties to find out about benefits. If you feel you cannot leave TLC, a staff member will come to the waiting area to talk with you.
Accommodations
The housing coordinator is at the main entrance information desk 2nd (main) floor, E module, Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm to tell you about discounts at nearby hotels and homes. You also may call (608) 263-0315 or (608) 263-8591. The person at the Information Desk can help you after hours and on weekends.
Transportation
City bus schedules and taxi numbers can be found at the main entrance information desk, 2nd floor, E module. The “Patient Guide” booklet contains information about transportation, shopping, and lodging for visitors. The booklet is kept in the TLC waiting room or at the main entrance information desk.
Visitor parking passes are given in Admissions. There is a limit of one parking pass per patient. The pass takes effect on the day of admission and is valid for seven days at which time it may be renewed in Admissions at no charge. To avoid a parking charge, your time-ticket must be stamped. All other visitors will be charged for parking.
Where Is It Found?
Telephones
There are four phones in the TLC waiting room to call TLC or make local outside calls. Please limit your calls to five minutes because many people rely on these phones to receive phone calls.
Cellular phones may be used in patient rooms. It is recommended that a distance of at least three feet be maintained between a cellular phone and any clinical equipment. If a cellular phone is causing interference with our equipment, you will be required to turn it off. Please maintain respect for other patients and staff by having your ringer at a low volume or place your phone on vibrate mode.
Restrooms
Across the hall from the waiting room. Other restrooms:
Men C and D Lobbies, 3rd floor
Women C and D Lobbies, 3rd floor
Wheelchair accessible, G4/302-303 and the main hospital entrance
Food
Cafeteria H Lobby, 1st floor
6:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. weekdays
6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. weekends and holidays
Main cafeteria with multiple offerings: Governor’s Grill, Waubesa Wok, Around the World, Four Lakes Favorites, Bascom Hill Bakery, Big Ham on Campus, Farmer’s Market (salad bar), & Milk Shakes
Atrium Cafe D6/331, 3rd floor
6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday-Friday
Closed weekends and holidays
Hot and cold meals, beverages, fruit, baked goods, dairy, and snacks.
Mendota Market H Lobby, 1st floor
24 hours per day Monday-Friday
7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Saturday
6:30 p.m.-6:30 a.m. Sunday
This deli/convenience store has a wide selection of items, including: pizza, hot sandwiches, Starbucks coffee, Babcock Hall ice cream, fresh salads, deli & bakery goods, groceries and convenience store items.
JavaCoast G5/2 Lobby, 2nd floor
M-F, 7a.m. to 4:30p.m. Weekends & Holidays, closed
Coffee, cold beverages, sandwiches, and bakery items
Vending Machines
B Lobby, 3rd floor
D Lobby, 3rd floor
D Lobby, 1st floor
E West, 5th floor
Outpatient Pharmacy
E5 2nd floor
Open: 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
TLC South (Beds 1-12) 263-8134
TLC North (Beds 13-24) 263-8954
TLC Waiting Room 262-7736
(Give these numbers to 263-8139
relatives and friends 262-7548
to reach you at the hospital)
Pastoral Care 263-8574
TLC Social Worker 263-6270
Patient Relations 263-8009
Main Entrance Info Desk 263-8590
Admissions 263-8770
Housing Coordinator 263-0315
Important Staff
Primary Staff Doctor _____________________________________
Residents _______________________________________________
Primary Nurse ___________________________________________
The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
Last Updated: 03/05/2008
Copyright © 03/05/2008 University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. All rights reserved. Produced by the Department of Nursing. UWH #4310
Print Health Fact For You