Theatres
Introduction | Main Theatres | Princess Anne Wing | Day Surgery | Recovery Unit
Introduction
At the RUH we have 16 operating theatres. These theatres are split over 3 complexes: Main Theatres, Day Surgery Theatres and Princess Anne Wing. There is also a dedicated Recovery Unit within each complex.
Main Theatre Department |
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Main theatres are situated on the first floor of the central area of the RUH.
Within the area we have eight operating theatres, each with their own anaesthetic room, preparation room, scrub area and sluice room.
- Theatre 1
24 hour Emergency theatre - Theatre 2
Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery - Theatres 3,4 & 5
Elective, Orthopaedic Surgery and any overspill from Theatre 2's trauma cases - Theatres 6 & 7
General and major Gynaecology Surgery - Theatre 7
General Surgery - Theatre 8
Urology Surgery
The Recovery Unit within Main Theatres, is a ten-bedded unit providing immediate postoperative care to patients from theatre. There is also a high dependency area and a Paediatric bay.
Princess Anne Wing |
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We have another separate theatre department at the other end of the hospital called the Princess Anne Wing (PAW). This is an area that predominately deals with Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
There are three theatres here 9a, 9b and 9c.
There are two Recovery Unit areas in PAW : one which looks after the Gynaecology and Urology and one two-bedded area specifically designed to care for Obstetric patients.
Day Surgery Unit |
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We have a Day Surgery Unit, which comprises of five theatres; (numbered 10 – 15) we do not have a Theatre 13!
Within this unit, various types of surgery are performed:
- Orthopaedic
- General
- Gynaecology
- Oral & Maxillofacial
- Ophthalmology
- ENT
- Urology
The Day Surgery Unit can be found on the same level as Main Theatres.
Theatre teams are made up of:
- Anaesthetist - Doctors
- Anaesthetic Assistants – ODPs or Nurses
- Surgeons & Assistants - Doctors
- Scrub Practitioners –Nurses or ODPs
- Circulators - Nurse, Theatre Care Assistants or ODPs
A team leader (Nurse or ODP) will be nominated to be responsible for the organisation of that particular operating list.
We have operating department orderlies who are invaluable to the smooth and efficient running of the department. They collect the patients from the wards and return them with the assistance of the ward nurse after their operation. They also collect and move equipment form one theatre area to another.
We are fortunate in having a full-time education team which supports all the staff to maintain the highest standards of care to all our patients.
Recovery Unit
The Recovery Unit is arguably the most important room in the hospital. During a stay in recovery patients receive expert support while recovering from the effects of a general or local anaesthetic.
This is followed by excellent symptom control from a team of highly trained and motivated staff who make up the Multi-disciplinary Team. Without this expertise the patients experience would be quiet different, affecting their whole recovery and prolonging their hospital stay.
The Recovery Unit Nursing Team is a motivated group of individuals committed to all aspects of patient care. Being part of this team offers various opportunities for development. All Recovery Unit nurses gain experience of teaching and passing on knowledge and skills to one another; they have the opportunity to learn new skills and to continue to develop existing ones.
The Recovery Unit Development Programme has been a popular way to gain expertise in the recovery of postoperative patients, giving the learner a framework to follow as they gain confidence and experience within the department.
Skills learnt within this environment are both valuable and transferable, Recovery Unit nursing is fast, dynamic, changing and challenging.
Recovery Unit Philosophy
Recovery Unit trained nurses will deliver individualised care to all postoperative patients according to patient needs and service provision.
This will be achieved by ensuring that Recovery Unit nurses receive appropriate training and opportunities to further develop existing skills.
Recovery Unit Standards of Care will be determined and audited using research, reflection, evidence based practice and benchmarking.
Recovery Unit competencies will be set out in order to maintain and update each nurse’s professional practice, ensuring the highest quality of care is delivered.