A day in the life of C&C DHB

During a 24 hour period you could be one of 225 people will be assessed at the Wellington Regional Hospital Emergency Department and the Kenepuru Accident and Medical. During the same period, eight patients are admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (one of whom has been transferred by helicopter from the South Island), and 11 babies are born, with assistance from 10 of the 85 midwives. You may undergo one of the 3,574 lab tests performed and one of the 435 doctors working for C&C DHB might decide that you, along with 40 other patients, need to be admitted for further care and assessment. One of the 400 administrative staff makes one of 2,916 calls today to the orderly base, and makes the arrangements for you to be transferred to a ward.

You are moved to the ward on a trolley pushed by an orderly, who will walk approximately 8km during today’s shift. In the ward you are greeted by one of the 1,800 nurses who work for C&C DHB, and are settled into a bed made with two of over 1,400 clean sheets issued today from the laundry. Your medical record, one of 3000 processed today, has just arrived in the ward. Later you visit the radiology department and are one of 296 patients being examined today. At lunchtime, you enjoy one of the 1,156 meals prepared daily in the kitchens. The patient beside you is one of 22 who receives a visit from a kaiawhina. One of 508 clinical support staff provide advice on your medication, and $40,000 of pharmaceutical products are dispensed. Throughout the day, while you are being cared for, 1100 outpatients are also being seen, and 36 patients are admitted for day surgery.

While you are being attended to, 240 patients have been seen by the mental health community teams, 54 patients have been treated in the fracture clinic, 100 patients have had their vision checked, and 30 infants have been cared for in the neonatal unit. The telephonists have answered 8,000 phone calls, transferring calls to the 5,150 extensions and paging staff over 1,000 times. The mailroom has processed 5,000 letters and 15,000 photocopies have been made in the central copying room.

You are one of 98 patients who will be discharged tomorrow (most having spent four days in hospital) and arrangements will be made for you to receive follow-up care in your home from one of the 100’s therapists travelling in one of the 262 C&C DHB vehicles.

By day’s end, 2,200kg of general waste has been produced, of which 1,100kg has been recycled.