Intensive care and High dependency units — Auckland (North and West)

North Shore Hospital

09 489 0523

North Shore Hospital

124 Shakespeare Road

Takapuna

Auckland

The aims of the ICU team are to:

• return a quality of life that is acceptable to the patients in their care
• to minimise suffering
• to reduce disability.

If the injury or disease process is overwhelming and these aims cannot be achieved, our further aim is to allow for a compassionate dying process.

ICU is run and staffed by specialist doctors and nurses who have undergone extensive training in intensive care. Other members of our multidisciplinary team include:

• pharmacists
• dietitians
• physiotherapists
• orthotists
• radiographers
• speech therapists
• social workers.  

There are 11 beds in the unit. These are split between the ICU and the High dependency unit (HDU). Depending on how sick you may be, you might have your own nurse or a nurse sharing their time with another patient.

The ICU can be a very stressful environment for patients and whānau. We understand the importance of visiting an unwell relative and encourage whānau to do so. 

Sometimes the unit may need to close at short notice to all visitors or to those for specific patients. This is so the team can:

• concentrate on patient care
• perform complex treatments
• maintain patient safety
• allow patients to get enough rest.

Visiting

Visiting is usually limited to next-of-kin or close friends, and generally no more than 2 visitors may be with the patient at a time. Patient care takes priority and visiting may not be possible when some procedures are being undertaken. We realise this may be inconvenient, but there are good reasons. The patients in ICU are critically unwell.

Please consult the Charge nurse before bringing tamariki under the age of 12 years to visit the patient. Tamariki must be supervised at all times.

A waiting room is next to the units. Vending machines are within a general waiting area near the main lifts and on the ground floor.