31 January 2020

Donations are making a difference on D3 cancer ward

We recently had a tour of the D3 cancer ward to find out how your donations are making a difference for inpatients and to hear about future plans.

The vein finder

Last year, supporter Vinay Sonchatla took on some tough challenges to raise vital funds in memory of his father, Chiman. He raised enough money, with D3 Ward Nurse Matt  Payne, to fund and purchase a vein finder, which has been helping patients and staff since the middle of last year.

Amy King, Senior Sister on D3, told us, “The Vein Finder has been a massive help .

When patients have chemotherapy, their veins can become quite hard and shrink away from the skin, making them hard to find.

The Vein Finder is making it easier to get the right vein in the first attempt, which is important because it reduces the risk of drugs leaking and makes the treatment quicker and more efficient. It also reduces distress to the patient.

A lot of our patients are knowledgeable and become experts in their own disease. They like being able to see their veins and find the machine fascinating. It’s great to see technology improving our practice”.

The quiet room

The refurbishment of the quiet room on D3 has recently been completed, thanks to donations to Southampton Hospital Charity.

The room gives patients somewhere quiet to go, to be away from the noise and busyness of the ward, and find some solace and relaxation.

Before the room was built, medical staff didn’t have a private space to have difficult conversations with patients and families,   and it’s also been designed to accommodate a bed for those patients who couldn’t otherwise go into the room.

 The day room

As well as funding furniture, donations to Southampton Hospital Charity have funded a partitioning wall which means that patients now have access to both a quiet room and a day room.

Having two rooms provides more options for patients who need a quiet space away from the ward. For large families or those with young children, it means that a sensitive conversation can take place with some family members in the quiet room, while younger family members can be next door in the day room.

The day room has now also been host to emergency patient weddings, and is able to be transformed into an intimate space for people to celebrate. Southampton Hospital Charity have also created a special Wedding Box which includes a wedding dress that wards can use to help make the day as memorable as possible.

Equipment

Donations to the ward have also helped pay for tables, bedside cabinets, microwaves, recliner chairs and Sat monitors.

Purchasing items like these through charitable funds means we can colour coordinate furniture to personalise patient rooms, enhance the patient experience through more comfortable chairs, and also encourage movement and socialisation between patients.

Future plans

D3 staff recently conducted a survey to find out what improvements patients on the ward would like to see. Televisions and radios were the top items being requested by patients.

When enough funds are available, the team would like to install more televisions above the doorways inside the wards, so that sports events and films can be shown (with subtitles, so those who are not interested are not disturbed). Radios would also be a priority.

The staff also hope to buy a coffee machine and water cooler for the day room, and would also like to repaint the side rooms on the wards.

With additional funds, the staff would like to do some work on their staff room, such as repairing some of the kitchen cupboards and draws, and installing some lockers to store personal items.

This light refurbishment would drastically improve the environment for staff and would provide a space where they can take a moment to compose themselves, especially for those who are dealing with difficult end-of-life situations on the ward and feel exhausted or upset.

Quiz night

D3 are holding a quiz night on 5 February 2020  from 7.00pm at the Maritimo Bar, Ocean Village Southampton, to help raise additional funds for the ward. Turn up on the night to support them.

 

Last updated: 31/01/2020

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