Services
- Air Retrieval Service
- Outreach Service
- Burwood Spinal & Home Ventilation Service
Air Retrieval Service:
The Christchurch Air Retrieval Service (CARS) coordinates and provides inter-hospital transfer of patients by air ambulance to and from Christchurch and other centres throughout New Zealand.
Location:
- ICU Department, Christchurch Hospital
- Garden City Helicopters/New Zealand Flying Doctor Service, Christchurch Hospital
Facts:
- Currently this service transfers approximately 450 patients per year, of which 72% are urgent transfers.
- The service currently uses two pressurised fixed wing aircraft; Beechcraft King Air 200 and 441 Conquest II
- 10 flight nurses are employed part time to provide 24/7 cover.
- A Registrar is rostered on 24/7 who reports directly to the ICU Specialist on call for the day.
For any further information, please contact:
- Shane McKerrow; Clinical Nurse Co-ordinator
Phone: 64 (03) 364 0640, Ext: 81813
Fax: 64 (03) 364 0099
- Dr David Bowie; Air Retrieval Clinical Director
Phone: 64 (03) 364 0640, Ext: 89497
Fax: 64 (03) 364 0099
Outreach Service:
The Outreach service provides education and support to:
- Help identify and manage deteriorating patients
- Help staff to make referrals to ICU
- Provide a follow up service of discharged patients
- Collect data and identify areas of patient safety and staff support.
Christchurch Hospital Early Warning Score & Management Pathway
These were introduced by ICU in 2008, to support the management of increasingly complex patients in the ward environment. It provides a pathway for early identification of critically ill patients, and timely appropriate management during patient instability.
Intensive Care Outreach enables early referral to specialist advice from ICU to support the management of these patients until stabilisation on the ward, or timely transfer to the ICU.
The ICU Outreach team consists of both an Intensive Care Outreach Nurse and Registrar to review patients, in consultation with an ICU Specialist. This service is available to all patients in Christchurch Hospital including Child Health and Christchurch Women's Hospital.
Contact: Tania Fowler
Outreach Nurse Specialist
Telephone: 64 (03) 364-0640, Ext: 89372
Burwood Spinal & Home Ventilation Service:
The Intensive Care Department Technologists:
- Provide a weekly service to the Burwood Spinal Unit to calibrate in house ventilators and trouble shoot any problems experienced with ventilated patients.
- Travel into the homes and communities of patients being discharged on a ventilator.
- Provide help with training and confidence for families, local ICU's and large carer groups.
Contact: Jane Carter-Schofield
Charge Technologist
Telephone: 64 (03) 364-0640, Ext 89398