Coulsdon 1 Ward
Coulsdon 1 - elective admission ward
This page is aimed at patients who have been asked to come to the Coulsdon 1 – elective admission ward before their surgery. It explains what the elective admission ward is and the care you can expect.
What is the elective admission ward – Coulsdon 1
This is an area for patients to wait and get ready before their operation on the day of the surgery.
Why have I been asked to come to the Coulsdon 1 and not a ward?
Patients on the wards need to go home (be discharged) before beds are available for new patients having surgery. The elective admission ward – Coulsdon 1 allows you to be admitted and prepared for your surgery before a bed is available. This helps the operating lists to start on time and makes sure that the surgery time available is used efficiently.
Before you come to the Coulsdon 1
Please bring with you the green medications bag that you were given in the pre-operative assessment clinic and all your medications.
Some patients may have to wait quite some time before going to theatre. We try to avoid this, but it is not always possible. Therefore, please bring something with you, such as a book or magazine to help pass the time.
You can bring a friend or relative with you, but the Coulsdon 1 is quite a small area, so we ask that only one adult comes with you. Please do not bring children or babies.
Please only bring a small suitcase with a reasonable amount of clothes, toiletries and reading material - just what you need for the day. Ask a relative or friend to bring the rest of your belongings to the ward when they visit you. Please do not bring any valuables.
Also see the inpatient guide on how to prepare for coming into hospital.
Coulsdon 1 – on a day of your surgery
You will be asked to report to the Coulsdon 1 reception at 7.30am. This allows:
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the nursing staff to prepare patients and makes sure all patients are ready on time
- your surgical team and the anaesthetist (specially trained doctor who cares for patients having an anaesthetic) to see you before the team begins operating.
After you have been admitted to the Coulsdon 1
You may be asked to change into an operation gown and hospital dressing gown ready for surgery straight away, or you may be asked to change later. We will show you where you can change in private. Your clothes and property will be placed into your own patient's property bag.
The first patient on an operating list will normally be walked to the theatre by a nurse around 8.10am. The length of time you may wait will depend on your position on the operating list. We understand that waiting can make you nervous and we will try to keep you up to date as to when you will be going to the operating theatre.
Please note:
- You are not allowed to use your mobile phone in the Coulsdon 1. However, you can use it in the lift lobby.
- You must not eat or drink anything. If your companion needs to eat or drink, we ask that they leave the Coulsdon 1 to do this.
Ready to go to theatres
You will:
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be prepared for your surgery, so you can go directly into the anaesthetic room
- be seen by your consultant or a member of his/her team. You may be seen by an anaesthetist
- have some baseline observations recorded, such as your blood pressure, pulse rate and temperature. Where necessary you may be sent for further tests
- be prepared for theatre based on you position on the operation list.
When the theatre team are ready to begin your surgery a member of the team will collect you from the Coulsdon 1. After the pre-operative checks you will be walked to the anaesthetic room where you will meet your anaesthetist.
Keeping friends and family informed
The nursing staff will tell you which ward you will be staying on, its location and contact telephone numbers. If no one has come with you to the Coulsdon1 you can contact a relative or friend and let them know before you are walked to theatre.