During Your Stay
Orientation
Our staff will orientate you to the ward and facilities available when you arrive. You will then be clerked by the ward doctor which involves taking a detailed medical history and ordering of tests, if necessary.
Daily Ward Routine
The daily routine in the ward includes activities such as ward rounds by doctors, medication, meals, visiting hours and bedtime. However this routine may vary as laboratory tests, X-ray, treatment and other procedures will take place when required.
Wrist Identification Band
You will be given a wrist identification band with your name, NRIC and ward number to wear. Please wear it at all times while you are in the hospital as it enables the staff to confirm your identity.
Ward Facilities and Services
Electric Bed
Electric beds are currently available in all A, B1 and B2 class wards. The control buttons for adjusting bed positions and other functions are found on both sides of the bed.
Overbed Table
The overbed table is specially designed to enable you to eat or write while in bed, or sitting on a chair. To adjust the height of the tabletop, release the lever beneath the table and lift / lower the tabletop gently. These tables are attached with wheel castors with locks so that the table can be secured when needed.
Call Bell
A call bell is attached to your bed panel. Please use it to call for assistance from the ward staff.
Patients' Lockers
Lockers equipped with digital lock are available at your bedside for the safekeeping of your belongings.
Food Service
We cater for Chinese, Indian/Muslim and Western diets. Patients in Class A and B1 wards can choose from a selection of menu presented through the TV menu available on our in-house TV channel 3, which runs throughout the day.
All our meals are specially planned by our dietitians to provide a balanced nutritional intake and meet your medical requirements. Special diets are also available to patients who need specific diet control or have special therapeutic needs. Please feel free to approach the ward nurses if you need to arrange for a consultation with our dietitians.
Telephone Services
There are card and coin telephones located at the entrances of the wards. There are also coin telephones along the corridors of Class B2 rooms. Besides telephones are also available in single and 4-bed rooms. For local calls, please dial '9' followed by the telephone number. For overseas calls, please dial '0' for assistance from the operator. Please note that the telephone charges for overseas calls are not claimable through MediSave or insurance schemes.
Handphones
We discourage the use of handphones in the wards as they may interfere with the medical equipment used to monitor the patients. Please request your visitors to turn off their handphones when they are in the ward.
Please note that the use of handphones is strictly prohibited in the Cardiothoracic Surgery Intensive Care Unit (CTSICU), High Dependency (HD) wards and Intermediate Care Area (ICA).
In-house Entertainment
Radio, television and cable programmes are available in the wards.
Sleeper Units
Sleeper units are available for single rooms ar a rental fee. These are available for use from 9.00pm to 7.00am daily. Please approach the ward nurse for assistance.
Hospitality Services
The following services can be provided upon request (on a fee-for-service basis) to help make your stay more convenient and comfortable.
- Transport Service (transfer to the hospital from the hotel or airport can be arranged to ensure that you have a smooth connection)
- In-house barber
- Business Centre Services
- Return to home country arrangements
For foreign patients who have not fully recovered to travel unassisted, our staff can make arrangements for you to return to your home country. A suitable medical assistance company would be contacted to provide complete transportation and medical coverage for your trip.
Clinical Related Information
Consultant-based Care
We practise team-based approach consultation, a common practice in other restructured hospitals.
During your stay with us, you will be attended to by a team of doctors comprising specialists assisted by Registrars and Medical Officers.
Consent Form
By coming to the Hospital, you have given general agreement to general diagnostic procedures and treatment which may be required for your condition. You are required to give specific consent to all invasive procedures and surgeries.
Before you sign on a consent form, our staff will explain to you the nature of the procedure/surgery to ensure that you have understood what is involved.
Updates on Your Medical Condition
Your medical records and information on your medical condition are confidential. We will only share this information with you and your next-of-kin. If your immediate family members wish to know more about your condition, they can approach the nurse-in-charge to arrange for a convenient time to meet the doctor. However, as it is not possible for our doctor to update all your family members who visit you at different times, you may wish to appoint one family member to be the representative to discuss any issue with the doctor.
Leaving the Hospital Premises
We advise that you remain within the hospital premises until you are discharged by your doctor. If you have to leave the ward for any reason, please inform the nurse-in-charge. Patients who wish to be discharged against a doctor's advice would be required to sign an AOR (At Own Risk) form.
Visiting Hours
To ensure that you and other patients have adequate rest, we request that your visitors visit you during the visiting hours from 12.00pm - 2.00pm and 5.00pm - 8.30pm.
Generally not more than two visitors may visit you at any one time during visiting hours. We also request that your visitors be sensitive to the needs of other patients during the visiting hours.
We discourage visitors from bringing children and babies to the wards especially the High Depency wards, Intensive Care Unit and Intermediate Care Area.
Visiting the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
The ICU is a restricted area as the patients here are critically ill and require intensive monitoring. We allow only two visitors at any one time during visiting hours.
Caregivers' Training
NHCS provides training for caregivers which includes relatives and maids. Qualified trainers will provide information on how to assist the sick or disabled person to bathe, feed, change positions in bed, transfer from bed to chair or vice versa.
There is a fee charged for the caregivers' training. Please approach the ward nurse or call 6321 4621 for more information.
Teaching and Training
Being the quaternary and tertiary centre for heart diseases, our doctors are involved in the training of future medical professionals for this field of specialty. We hope you can give your cooperation to them when they make their rounds during your stay.
No Smoking
Smoking is strictly prohibited within the hospital grounds by law. Offenders will be fined.
Safety Precautions
For a safe and pleasant stay at the NHCS, we would greatly appreciate it if you would observe the following precautions.
- Do not use the furniture in your room as support if you feel weak or unsteady. As most of the furniture are on wheels, they would not provide you the necessary support.
- Do not attempt to get in and out of a wheelchair without assistance or step on the footrest of the chair, as they will not hold your weight and the chair may topple.
- If your doctor has instructed you to be on complete bedrest or you are on fall precaution, do not try to get up on your own. Please use the call bell if you require any assistance.
- Do not attempt to remove or adjust any devices around or on you without seeking approval from the nurse.
- If you had undergone an open heart surgery eg Coronary Artery Bypass Grat (CABG), valve replacement / repair, avoid pressure on the breastbone. Do not use your arms for lifting or moving about until you are informed you can do so.
- If you had undergone a coronary angiography or balloon angioplasty (PCI), you are required to stay in the bed for at least 4-6 hours after the procedure to prevent bleeding at the puncture site.
Teaching and Training
Being the tertiary centre for heart disease, our doctors are involved in the training of young doctors in this field of specialty. There may be times when trainee doctors and nurses make their rounds during your stay. We hope you can give your co-operation to these staff when they make their rounds.
Consultant-Based Care
A consultant doctor assisted by medical officers and / or registrars will look after you.
Handphones
We discourage the use of handphones in the wards as they interfere with medical equipment used to monitor patients. We would appreciate it if you could also ask your visitors to turn off their handphones in the ward.
Smoking
Smoking is strictly prohibited within the hospital grounds by law. Any offenders will be fined.
Safety Precautions
For a safe and pleasant stay at the National Heart Centre Singapore, we would greatly appreciate it if you would observe the following precautions:
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Please do not use the furniture in your room as support if you feel weak or unsteady. As most of the furniture are on wheels, they would not provide you with the necessary support.
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Please do not attempt to get in and out of a wheelchair without assistance. Do not step on the chair’s footrests as they will not hold your weight and the chair may topple.
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If your doctor has instructed you to be on the bed rest or you are nursed with bed rails up, do not attempt to get up on your own. Please use the call-buzzer if you require any assistance.
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Please do not attempt to remove or adjust any devices around or on you without seeking approval from the nurse.
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If you had undergone a Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) operation, avoid pressure on the breastbone and do not use your arms for lifting or moving about until otherwise advised.
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If you had undergone a balloon angioplasty (PTCA), you are required to stay in bed for at least four to six hours after the procedure to prevent bleeding at the wound site.