Visitor Information

John's Campaign - carers are welcome

John’s Campaign was started after Dr. John Gerrard passed away in 2014 following a long hospital stay in the UK. His family wanted to improve how hospitals treat carers, people who look after loved ones. To learn more this campaign please visit Johnscampaign.org.uk

Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) supports this campaign. It means carers (like a partner, family member, or friend) are welcome to be with their loved one in hospital and help support them, as agreed with the care team.  Email: johnscampaign@tuh.ie.

What can carers do?

Carers can help by:

• Speaking up for their loved one
• Sharing important information
• Providing comfort and reassurance

Carers are not expected to do the jobs of hospital staff, and they may not always be able to stay due to other responsibilities.

  Carers vs. Visitors

Carers are different from regular visitors. They can come outside normal visiting hours, but they still need to follow hospital rules.

If a patient did not have a carer before coming to hospital, normal visiting hours apply.

What is the Carer’s Passport Card?

This card lets carers stay with their loved one whenever needed, even outside regular visiting times.

• It is only for the person named on the card (not transferable).
• You get it from the ward staff where your loved one is staying.
• If your loved one moves to a different ward, you will get a new card.
• Wear the card clearly while in the Hospital and return it when your loved one is discharged.

How to get one: Read the “Patient Healthcare Passport & Visitor Information Leaflet,” fill out the Carer’s Passport Agreement, and give it to a nurse on the ward.

Important to know:

• You may be asked to leave the ward in emergencies or special situations.
• You should only care for your own loved one, not other patients.

Visiting Hours & Guidelines

Visiting Arrangements in TUH
Visitors are regarded as an important part of the patient's day and are very welcome. The Hospital fully appreciate the importance of a patient having a visit from their loved ones and the very important part a visit plays in their recovery.

We would like to thank our patients and their loved ones for their patience and support in the last two years. We appreciate it has not been easy for people receiving care, for their families and loved ones.

The Hospital need to carefully mange the risk of COVID-19 coming into the Hospital as visiting returns. COVID-19 is spread mainly when people share an indoor space with an infectious person for a period of time. People with symptoms are generally more infectious but people can spread the virus to others before symptoms develop. Any patient, staff or other person who enters the space may introduce infection.

We all still need to be careful in relation to the risk of infectious people entering a hospital.  Some patients may be satisfied not to have visitors during their time in hospital.

Visiting 
Visiting to the Hospital is from 2pm-4pm and 6pm-8pm. When visitors arrive at the Hospital we would ask them to please clean their hands and again when they are leaving. 

Please remember you are visiting at a time when we are dealing with COVID-19, in visiting the Hospital you are accepting the risks associated with attending the healthcare setting.

We would ask all visitors observe the following: 

• People accessing the Hospital are required to perform hand hygiene regularly 
• Children under the age of 12 are not permitted to visit without permission by the Clinical Nurse Manager or Nurse in charge of the ward
• If you have any cold / flu / COVID symptoms or vomiting or diarrhoea please postpone the visit until you are 48 hours symptom free
• The Hospital is a no smoking hospital this includes the use of electronic smoking devices
• If you are bringing food into patients, please check with the staff in charge - this is to decrease the risk of food contamination and patients may also be on a restricted diet
• Use visitor toilets rather than patient toilets this reduces the risk of cross-infection
• Please dispose of any litter properly, help us to keep our communal areas and entrances clean. This includes lifts and stairwells.
• Please note that for infection control reasons flowers or plants are not permitted
• Visitors are also asked not to sit on patients beds or touch any medical equipment to reduce the risk of cross infection
• Please note that visiting during mealtimes is forbidden. This enables patients’ to eat and enjoy their meals uninterrupted, an essential requirement for good nutrition so our patients can recover more quickly. The only exception to this is if you are a carer providing assistance with a patient’s mealtime
• Never bring alcohol or drugs to patients

If you see this symbol when visiting the wards please be aware of its importance. This spiral symbol means that a patient is imminently dying or has died. We would ask all visitors to be respectful and avoid mobile phone use and to be prepared to meet people who are grieving during your time on the ward.

Hospital Facilities

Banking Facilities
There is an ATM machine in the main entrance hall of the Hospital. 

Canteens and Coffee Shops
Relatives and visitors are welcome to use any of our canteen/coffee shop facilities. The Hospital canteen is called the Phoenix Restaurant, located on the ground floor it provides a variety of hot meals. The Phoenix is open from 7:20am to 3:30pm pm Monday to Thursday and 7:20am-3pm on a Friday. 

A shop located in the main entrance hall of the Hospital where you can buy confectionery, soft drinks, ice cream newspapers, magazines, puzzle books greeting cards, toys (small selection) and toileteries. Opening hours are from 7am – 9:30pm Monday to Friday and 9am-8pm Saturday, Sunday & Bank Holidays.

The BaxterStorey Coffee Shop is open in the main atrium from 7am – 9:30pm Monday to Friday and 9am-8pm Saturday, Sunday & Bank Holidays.

The Volunteer Coffee shop is located in the reception area of the main entrance hall. It is staffed by volunteers - is open from 9:30am - 4pm Monday to Thursday. 

Feedback
If you have a compliment or complaint about the Hospital and the care a patient received during their treatment please contact our Patient Advocacy team. Please click on this link for further information on this service. 

Volunteer Library for Patients
A mobile library offering books on loan, free-of-charge, to patients passes through each ward three times a week. This service is provided by volunteers in the Hospital, there is also a book stand in the Volunteer Coffee Shop in the main entrance of the hospital where patients can purchase books directly.

Mass Times/Pastoral Care
The Hospital offers patients the services of the Pastoral Care Team. The members of the ecumenical Pastoral Care Team are chaplains from four main Christian traditions. We also liaise with leaders of Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu and other faiths. Each chaplain serves as a member of the healing team working with all those who care for patients.  The Hospital Chapel is located on the ground floor. To request a chaplain, please ask the nurse on duty to make contact.

Mass Services and Liturgies in the Hospital Chapel
Sunday:

• 8:15am: Celebration of Mass for Staff members
• 9:30am: Celebration of Holy Communion - Church of Ireland, Methodist, Presbyterian and other Christian traditions
• 10:30am: Celebration of Mass for patients and families, followed by the Sacrament of the Sick for those who wish

Monday to Friday

• 1:30pm: Celebration of Mass. In addition, a variety of other Christian services are held as announced. Sacraments for the different traditions are available on request.

Roman Catholic Ministers of the Eucharist vist the wards:

• Sunday: after 10:30am Mass
• Wednesday: 10:30am (approx)
• Friday: 10:30am (approx)

Muslim prayer on a Friday takes place in the Quiet Room between 1:30pm - 2pm.

Meals 
Breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea/coffee are served on the wards for patients only. A continental breakfast is served, while patients can select from a choice of four meals at lunch and five meals at dinner. Special dietary meals are also provided.  Please ask the ward staff if you are not sure what you are allowed to eat or drink.

To reduce the risk of patients contracting food-related illnesses, we ask you to check with staff in charge before bringing in food from outside.
Visitors are welcome to use any of our canteen or coffee shops.

Medical Record
For information on your medical record or patient confidentiality, please click here.

Playroom
There is a supervised playroom available to patients in the National Children’s Hospital. It is open Monday to Friday from 10am – 1pm and from 2pm – 4pm.

Postal Service
Letters and parcels are delivered to the wards on a daily basis. Letters may be posted in the letterbox in front of the main entrance doors to the hospital, or, if you are restricted to your bed, the ward clerks will post your letters. 

Security
The Hospital is monitored by CCTV cameras both internally and externally, 24 hours a day.
Security Officers manage traffic control and routinely patrol all areas of the buildings and grounds.

All security incidents, including items lost or found, should be reported to the Security Office in the main entrance hall.

Shopping Centre
Your visitors may like to know that the Square Shopping Centre is just a few minutes walk from the Hospital. The centre has many of the big shopping chains. For more information about the shops in the centre you can contact the centre on (01) 452 5944. There is also a petrol station and cinema located near the Centre.

Telephones
The Hospital's main telephone number is (01) 414 2000.
We also have a 'Direct Inward Dial' service. If you take the extension of your ward and place the prefix '414' before it, the incoming call will go through directly to your ward. A list of hospital phone numbers is available here.

As mobile phones can cause life support and diagnostic equipment to malfunction, we ask you not to use your mobile phones in areas where you see signs requesting that your phones be switched off.

Public payphones There is a public payphone located in the main reception area and on each floor for the use of patients and visitors. All these phones are coin/card operated.

Accommodation for Relatives

Accommodation for Relatives in the Adult Hospital
If a relative of a very ill patient wishes to stay overnight in the Hospital, the nurse-in-charge in the ward will try to help.

Accommodation for Relatives in the National Children's Hospital (NCH)
Parents’ accommodation is available for those who wish to stay overnight. If you do not wish to avail of this facility, the staff on the ward will do their best to provide you with a camp bed in your child's room. The camp bed is folded away in the morning so the floor can be cleaned. Bathroom and shower facilities are available for resident parents.

Bed & Breakfast Accommodation
Staff on reception can provide details on local places to stay.