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 questions.
Enquiries about your health (incoming calls)
Family and friends can call our general enquiry number and ask to be transferred through to your bedside phone or ward reception. To protect patient privacy and confidentiality, staff will not provide specific medical information.
General enquiry phone: (07) 3139 4000
Television hire
Television hire, including pay TV and movies, is available at your bedside. Please ask your nurse or ward staff for more information. Please consider other patients and keep noise to a minimum. Basic earphones are supplied or you can use your own personal earphones to ensure other patients are not disturbed.
Rooms
All our wards accommodate both public and private patients. There are no wards specifically for private patients only. The bed you are allocated depends on how sick you are or what type of illness you have. Your bed allocation may change during your stay. This is the case whether you are a public or private patient. Single room allocation is based on clinical need and in line with various management strategies for at-risk patients.
Lounge rooms
Each ward area has a patient lounge room for your comfort. We would appreciate if you could please keep these areas neat and tidy.
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 green call button located at your bedside. Alternatively, you can use the green call button on the walls in the bedrooms, showers, toilets or lounge areas. Please do not let children press these buttons.
Bedside phones
Phones are installed at most bedsides throughout the hospital.
Incoming calls
Depending on your condition, incoming calls can be put through to the bedside phone between 8am and 8pm. Patients cannot be phoned directly. Relatives and visitors calling patients who have bedside phones should phone the Patient Enquiry Number on (07) 3139 4000 and ask for the patient by name.
External calls
To make external phone calls, patients must purchase a phone card from the Common Good Cafe. To use the card, dial 018933 from your bedside phone and follow the voice prompts.
Toiletries
No personal toiletries or tissues are provided by the hospital. It is your responsibility to provide these items. Some items are available to purchase at the Common Good Cafe.
Meals
We serve a variety of healthy and nutritious meals that meet therapeutic and religious dietary requirements. A member of our menu team will visit you daily and assist you in selecting meals. Paper menus are available in place of bedside ordering on request. If you are a new admission to the ward, you will receive a standard meal until visited by our menu team. The menu staff can be contacted on #1174. If you have special dietary requirements, please inform hospital admissions and nursing staff when you arrive. Ask our nursing staff if you need to speak to a dietitian.
We provide meals at the following times:
- Breakfast 7.00am-8.00am
- Morning tea 9.30am
- Lunch 11.45am-12.45pm
- Afternoon tea 2.00pm
- Dinner 4.45pm-5.45pm
- Supper 6.30pm
Patient service trolley
A patient service trolley visits each ward daily with assorted food, confectionery, phone cards, magazines and newspapers for purchase.
Newspapers and magazines
Newspapers and magazines are available from the Common Good Cafe and also on the patient service trolley that visits most areas of the hospital.
Bringing flowers to patients
Flowers and potted plants are a lovely gift for patients. Please check with nursing staff before bringing in flowers. For patient safety reasons, we cannot allow flowers or potted plants in the following specialised areas:
- Intensive Care
- Coronary Care Units
Please do not bring oriental lilies due to staff allergies. Flowers can be purchased from the Common Good Cafe and Coffee Shop.
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:
(Insert name)
(Insert ward)
c/o The Prince Charles Hospital
Rode Road
CHERMSIDE QLD 4032
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
While in hospital, you are not permitted to use personal electrical appliances that require plugging into an electrical point. On the rare occasion this equipment is needed, it must be checked by hospital engineering staff before use. This is to ensure your safety and the safety of other patients and staff. Battery operated appliances can be used. Please ask your ward staff if you need any further information.
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.