SINGAPORE: It is a conspicuous addition to Singapore General Hospital’s landscape, though it looks little more than a large canvas tent, with a long ramp leading to a set of double doors.
The ward, named Ward@Bowyer for its proximity to the hospital’s Bowyer block, also includes facilities that feature in any other hospital ward: Nurses’ stations, a rest area and changing rooms for staff and on-call rooms for doctors.“It’s amazingly nicely done,” said Ms Thurgathavi, the nurse clinician in charge of the ward.What also stands out inside, however, is what does not feature in regular hospital wards, for example wearable biosensors.
“Previously they’d have to press a call bell, and the nurse would have to come into the room, ask them what they need and then go out to gather the necessary items.Within the facility, there is also an X-ray unit housed in its own customised container. “It’s not the same as what we have here,” said Assoc Prof Poopalalingam. “These are patients who still need to be admitted to hospital, but they need isolation facilities, with the appropriate care.”
He and his team were determined to complete the project as quickly as possible. But there were challenges and delays, which stretched the construction process from its intended 40 days to 50. With staff from many departments and specialities, like oncology, being deployed to the ward, she said orientation was a priority in order to familiarise them with infection control practices.
Creative solutions also had to be found for situations they previously took for granted, such as carrying out a Code Blue — resuscitating a patient. “There were so many possible solutions and recommendations that came up,” she recalled. Simulations of the process took a week, she added. “The nurses trained so many times, and we did so many drills.”
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