Your stay
We would like you to be as comfortable as possible during your stay with us. Our staff are committed to providing you with the safest and highest standard of care. We also encourage you to be actively involved in your care and ask a member of staff if you have any questions.
Enquiries about your health
Family and friends can call the hospital on (07) 3646 8111 and ask to be transferred through to your bedside phone or ward reception. To protect your privacy and confidentiality, staff will not provide specific medical information about you.
Television hire
Television including pay TV and movie hire are available at your bedside. To arrange this contact our TV support service by calling (07) 3646 1391. The hospital’s Television Entertainment Service is operated by RBWH Foundation, the charity arm of Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. All profits from the hire of Television Services are used to fund health research at the hospital.
Television support
Open: Daily 10.00am-8.00pm
Phone: (07) 3646 1391
Rooms
All our wards accommodate both public and private patients. There are no wards specifically for private patients only. Wards consist of single and shared rooms and are allocated depending on clinical need.
Medications
Your healthcare team will work together to select the most appropriate medication for your care.
Call button
If you require help, you can alert our nursing staff by pressing a button located at your bedside. You will be shown how to use this button by the staff on the ward.
Meals
We serve a variety of healthy and nutritious meals that meet therapeutic and religious dietary requirements. You can discuss food and drink options each day when the dietetic assistant visits to take your menu selections using our electronic meal ordering system. Ask our nursing staff if you need to speak to a dietitian. Please advise staff if you have a food allergy.
We provide meals at the following times:
- Breakfast 6.45am-8.00am
- Morning tea 9.30am-10.15am
- Lunch 11.40am-1.00pm
- Afternoon tea 2.45pm-3.30pm
- Dinner 4.40pm-6.00pm
- Supper 7.00pm-7.45pm
Newspapers and magazines
Our volunteers visit wards with a trolley and sell newspapers and magazines to patients who may not be able to leave their ward. There is also a newsagency located on Level 1 of the Ned Hanlon Building.
Bringing flowers to patients
Flowers and potted plants are a lovely gift for patients. For patient safety reasons, we cannot allow flowers or potted plants in these areas:
- Intensive Care (4A)
- Burns (4C)
- Haematology (5C)
- Infectious Diseases Wattlebrae (6C)
- Neurosurgery (8AS). Some patients are allowed, please check with the ward first.
Washing clothes
If you are unable to organise your clothes to be washed, our hospital volunteers can do your laundry for a small fee on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Phone: (07) 3646 7262
Dentures, glasses and aids
Your items can be easily misplaced in a busy environment. It might be helpful to name your items. Please bring a container or bag to store your dentures, glasses or hearing aids. Ask staff if you need a denture container.
Mail is delivered to wards on weekdays. Any mail received after you have been discharged will be redirected to your postal address.
Send mail to patients here:
c/ Ward (insert ward)
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Butterfield Street
HERSTON QLD AUSTRALIA 4029
Your contact people
During your admission we ask you to nominate a contact person and a next of kin who may play a key role in your care. With your permission we will discuss your progress and condition with the people you designate and not with anyone else.
Electrical appliances
You may bring small electrical appliances such as a shaver or hair dryer to hospital if you wish. It is necessary to have these items checked and tagged as electrically safe by a certified electrician prior to admission. Faulty equipment may interfere with the operation of vital medical equipment. We can organise television rental for your personal entertainment.
The hospital does not accept responsibility for damage to, or personal injury from, electrical items you bring with you.
Your treatment team
During your hospital stay, you will be cared for by a team of health professionals which may include doctors, nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, social workers and support staff.
Teaching and research
As a leader in teaching and research, we work closely with universities to train future healthcare professionals.
With supervision from a staff member, you may be asked if you are willing for a student to observe or examine you. You may also be asked to take part in a research project. You are under no obligation to participate and your choice will not affect the care you receive. Your information will remain strictly confidential.