Overview
Gertrude’s Children Hospital is committed to improving the quality of life for every child. Our skilled medical professionals, coupled with a child friendly environment, enable us to deliver outstanding results for patients and families.
GCH provides a 24-hr 7-day a week service at her Muthaiga unit and a 12-hr daily at the other locations.
From infants to school-age children, teens to 21 years of age, GCH is changing the outcome for kids regionally.
As we offer a comprehensive variety of services, ranging from well child care to specialised medical, surgical and rehabilitative services, our delivery of care is based on two core concepts.
- Evidence-based medicine
- Family centered care
Evidence-based medicine
At Gertrude’s Children Hospital, we practice evidence-based paediatric care. This means that the care and treatment we provide to our patients and families is based on the best scientific information and medical practices. Care is delivered in a timely, effective and safe manner.
-Patients receive more consistent, more reliable care
-Shorter lengths of stay in the hospital
-Appropriate procedures are performed
-Patients experience the best possible outcomes
Family concepts
By making families more active on our care teams, we’re changing the way health care is delivered with a family centered focus around three key concepts;
✓Dignity and Respect
Health care practitioners listen to and honor patient and family perspectives and choices. Patients and families listen to and honor health care practitioners’ expertise, knowledge, and skill. Patient and family knowledge, values, beliefs and cultural backgrounds are incorporated into the planning and delivery of care.
✓Information Sharing
Health care practitioners communicate and share complete and unbiased information with patients and families in ways that are affirming and useful. All team members receive timely, complete, and accurate information in order to effectively participate in care and decision-making.
✓Participation
Patients and families are encouraged, educated, and supported in participating in care and decision-making at the level they choose.
Your child’s care team
During your visit to The Children’s Hospital, your child may meet many different specialists, all focused on your child. Although the members of a care team vary from patient to patient the descriptions below should help you understand just who some of the experts are.
Doctors
Attending casualty doctor is the physician responsible for your child’s care with training and experience in child care
Resident Pediatrician has advanced training in pediatric care. The resident is available on the floor for senior coverage on a day to day basis.
Fellows are pediatricians undergoing pediatric residency attachment.
Consultant Pediatrician is a physician with expertise in a particular area that might offer additional advice on you r child’s case.
Nurses (RNs)
The nurses at The Children’s Hospital have special training in the care of children and many have additional training in a specific pediatric specialty. They are an important part of your child’s care team.
The floor manager supervises the unit. You may discuss any aspect of nursing care, hospital services or your child’s comfort with the nurse manager.
Primary Nurse is the nurse that is available to you at triage and in cases of any procedure including admissions and emergencies. S/he plans and coordinates your child’s care at the unit.
Pediatric Nurses are registered nurses with additional education and clinical training in pediatrics . These nurses work in all areas of the hospital to perform physical exams and procedures, order lab tests and teach parents about issues related to the child’s care.
Other Members of the Care Team
Phlebotomists; These are trained staff to obtain blood samples from your child or carry out a cannulation procedure when required
Laboratory Technologists carry out laboratory investigations for your child’s samples
Pharmacists including Pharmacists Technologists prepare and provide your medicines for your child after a doctors prescription. They will give your details about the medicines including side effects and how to appropriately give medicines to children.
Receptionists/Front office staff
These front line staff assist in the registration of you and your child’s details including your bio data.
Your emergency room visit
When to go to the emergency room
You may bring your child to Children’s Emergency Department at any time — without an appointment — if your child needs immediate medical care.
Arriving at the Emergency Department
When you arrive, you and your child will be seen by the triage nurse. This registered nurse is specially trained in pediatric emergency care. It is important to give all the needed information to the triage nurse. If your child has a life-threatening or very serious illness or injury, he or she will be seen by a doctor right away.
The nurse will bring you and your child to an exam room in the triage area. The nurse will ask you some questions and check your child’s temperature and weight. He or she will also briefly examine your child.
During the busiest times, the sickest children are seen first. Other families are requested to wait.
Before you arrive at the Emergency Department, your child’s primary care provider may have called to tell us about your child and his or her condition.
Registration
After triage, you usually go to the registration area. The front office assistant will ask you questions, such as your address and telephone number. It is important to give complete information. This helps us to keep in touch with you.
Insurance companies often require us to obtain approval for hospital visits. Hence the need for to complete certain information and will take a few minutes of your time. We ask for your patience.
We are available to treat your child even if your insurer does not approve the visit. You will be asked to pay for the bill yourself.
Waiting Room
You will be asked to wait in the waiting room if an exam room is not immediately available.
We use a triage system in the Emergency Department. This means that we do not see patients in the order that they come through the door. You and your child may need to wait in the Emergency Department waiting room, particularly at busy times and during cold and flu season. (triage process)
There are several play areas and a TV tuned to children’s programs to occupy children in the waiting room. You may feel as though you and your child have had to wait for a long time. There are various reasons you may need to wait:
We see the sickest children first.
Sometimes our physicians need to consult specialists who may not be immediately available.
Test results may take time.
The triage nurse may tell you not to give your child anything to eat or drink while waiting. Please follow these instructions
We appreciate your patience. If you feel that your child’s health situation has changed while you are waiting, please consult the nurse or Ask for the floor manager in case of any concern
Examination Room
As soon as possible, you and your child will be brought to an exam room where a team of doctors and nurses will care for your child. There are senior house officers, who supervise care in the emergency department.
If your child needs blood tests, x-rays or other tests, it may take an hour or more to get the results. Please be patient. You may be asked to return to the waiting room during this time.
A parent or guardian must stay with his or her child at all times. Two family members may stay with the child in the exam room. Other family members may stay in the waiting area.
You are encouraged to make use of the play areas to promote the healing process as you wait
The doctor or nurse will usually give you printed instructions when your child is ready to leave. These instructions have information on how to care for your child’s illness or injury and will tell you about follow-up care.
If you have any questions after you leave, call our Emergency Department at
Being admitted to the hospital
If your child is admitted to the hospital directly from the Emergency Department, the admissions office will take you through the process.
The admissions office will explain and ask you to sign forms that permit the hospital to perform tests and provide treatment. You will receive information about insurance coverage, the billing process and the documents you will be expected to provide including the NHIF card.
A nurse will escort you to the ward when the process is complete and your room is available.
Infection control
If your child has been exposed to one of the following, please report directly to the nurse’s station desk upon entering the Emergency Department:
Chicken Pox
Measles
Mumps
Hand-washing is the best way to avoid passing on germs. Please wash your hands before and after being in the Emergency Department. There are disinfecting hand gel available on site for your use
Safety
To ensure the safety of your children, please keep them with you at all times.