A little about the practicalities
Visits
We do not have fixed visiting hours, but you can have visitors if you are well enough. Please be considerate if there are several patients in the same room. We want peace and quiet in the ward after 8:00 PM.
Food
In the ward, you will be served breakfast, lunch, dinner, and supper at fixed times in the dining room.
In addition to this, there will always be food available, such as open-faced sandwiches, biscuits, fruit, soups, and drinks. You can help yourself to whatever you like whenever it suits you.
On Saturday evenings, we usually serve comfort food. Please let us know if you have any food allergies. We can then specially order food from the kitchen for you.
You will find the weekly menu by the dining room. If you have a poor appetite, are feeling nauseous, or for other reasons cannot eat what is served, it is also possible to request a special menu.
We offer food to you as a patient and one caregiver or visitor. Other family members or visitors can buy food in the hospital kiosk/cafeteria.
See more information about opening hours under practical information on our departmental pages.
Kiosk Arendal
Accommodation
All patients with us have the right to have a caregiver stay overnight. You can alternatively choose to have a friend stay overnight.
Doctor’s rounds
We have daily doctor’s rounds in the morning. During the doctor’s rounds, you will receive answers to tests and examinations and a further plan for treatment. Write down any questions you want to discuss with the doctor, and feel free to write down the answers when you get them.
Isolation
If you have an infectious disease that can infect other patients in the ward, you will be isolated. This means you will have a single room and will not be allowed to leave the room. We will bring you what you need in terms of food and equipment.
You can have visitors, but visitors are not allowed to stay in the ward where they can spread infection to others.
Relax, we’ve seen it all
When you are with us, you may need to talk about, or do things you experience as unpleasant. You should know that nothing is too silly for us. Perhaps this embarrassing information is important for your assessment and treatment?
Social media/photos/audio recordings
Many patients and caregivers want to take photos/videos or blog about their time at the hospital. Of course, you are welcome to do so, as long as you respect the privacy of other patients and staff.
Here are a few good tips for using social media for you as a patient or caregiver:
- Respect others. You must have consent if you want to take photos or videos of patients or staff. All patients have a right to privacy when they are at the hospital.
- Parents/guardians decide whether you can take photos of children or publish photos of their children online. Parents should consider what is best for the child. When the child is 12 years old, their opinion should be given great weight. When the child is 15 years old, they decide for themselves whether it is okay to be photographed and whether they should be published.
- Remember that staff must also give their permission if you want to publish photos you have taken of them.
- You should remove content you have published if the person involved asks you to. If others have posted photos of you online without permission, you can ask them to delete it.If you are not heard, you can contact:www.slettmeg.no.
Audio recordings
It is not illegal to make recordings of conversations you are participating in for private use. Publishing and sharing, however, requires consent from the person you are talking to. Secret recordings of conversations you are not participating in are illegal.
Stressed, tired, or sad
Being admitted to the hospital can be a psychological challenge. Especially if you are admitted for a long time. You may miss your friends and miss out on social activities. You may have a diagnosis that gives you worries. All of this can lead to emotional problems.
Talk to someone about it. Talk to your family, friends, or us who work here.
SMI school
SMI school teaches students at the primary and secondary levels who are admitted to the Pediatric and Adolescent Department at Sørlandet Hospital.