Intensive Care – Lakeshore General Hospital

We encourage you to designate an individual (preferably an immediate family member) who will serve as a spokesperson and interact with the healthcare team. This person can then relay the information that is provided by the healthcare team to the rest of the family.

 
Intensive Care
514 630-2225, extension 2599

Where to go when I arrive on the unit

Once you get to the unit, use the phone located outside the doors to the ICU to call and let the staff know you have arrived. A staff member will let you in depending on the situation.

Location: 2nd floor, North
Address and parking

Who can visit?

Immediate family members and significant persons 12 years of age and up are allowed to visit a patient in intensive care at any time. An appointment is required and can be made by calling us at 514 833-6998 (2599) or when leaving the unit after visiting. The staff may ask you to wait in the family room while your loved one receives care. To allow patients time to rest, it is recommended that visitors be limited to 2 people at a time.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to speak to the staff members who are caring for your loved one. We also have a nurse who is assigned to communicate with family members. The nurse will meet with you within a few hours of your loved one’s admission, during regular business hours, and will keep you informed throughout the patient’s hospitalization.

What can I bring?

You can bring items that hold special meaning for your loved one. In the event of a longer hospitalization, familiar objects will help them get back on track and create a more comfortable and comforting environment. Personal hygiene products are also useful (toothbrush, soap, deodorant, etc.). 

We ask that you not bring flowers. Also, before bringing food in for the patient, please speak to the nursing staff.

You can support a loved one during their stay in critical care. Here are some things you can do daily to help them recover.

• Unless instructed otherwise, allow them to sleep as rest is a vital part of their recovery.
• Give them a hand during mealtimes and with their personal hygiene care (shaving, combing their hair, brushing their teeth). If they are capable, do not hesitate to encourage them as much as possible.
• Distract them by talking about the day to day. Your loved one may be confused or may not recognize you. You can help situate them by telling them the date and time or by talking about other family members. You can also remind them that they are in the hospital, in intensive care. If your loved one is intubated, you can tell them that they cannot speak because they are intubated.
• Do not hesitate to speak to them even if they are not responsive. Despite the fact that they may appear to be unconscious, they may be able to hear you. Your voice can help reassure them.

In intensive care, each case is unique. The care pathway differs from one patient to another.

The critical care doctor (also known as an intensivist) will transfer the patient to another ward once their condition stabilizes. The choice of ward will be made according to your loved one’s needs. Where possible, the patient will undergo gradual and personalized rehabilitation with the help of a multidisciplinary team.