On the second floor of The Prince Charles Hospital, there’s a newly opened retreat space for hip surgery patients and the staff who care for them.
This space—once a tutorial room and small, enclosed balcony—is now called the Sky Garden. Thanks to the recent refurbishment, funded through the Foundation’s first Giving Day in 2021 with a considerable effort from the ward’s staff, it now offers a place to bask in the warm sunshine and take in the surrounding greenery from the garden below.
Transforming the space into a pleasant environment that feels light and airy and encourages patients to get out of bed required significant funding and structural work.
“The whole idea of the Sky Garden was to provide a place for patients and their families to have some family time. We wanted to create a more homely environment that provides a little break from the hospital feel,” said Madonna Dalton, former Nurse Unit Manager of Ward 2D and current Assistant Nursing Director, Surgery and Critical Care.
About the Sky Garden Refurbishment and Ward 2D
The Sky Garden is located in ward 2D, which is primarily a hip fracture unit, meaning most patients in this ward have limited mobility.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, hip fractures involve substantial in-hospital care, with the median length of a hip fracture hospital stay among surgical patients, including acute, rehabilitation or other care, being 20 days.
Madonna Dalton says the patient cohort within this space is typically older, with an average age of around 80.
“Generally, when people have a hip fracture, especially later in life, it does make their recovery quite long. And being in hospital for a longer period of time and not being able to mobilise when family and friends visit makes it really quite limiting for them. So, we wanted a space where the patients had the feeling of the outside, and we could bring the outdoors to them,” said Madonna.
A wall had to be knocked down to combine a room and balcony and create such an inviting and meaningful area. The balcony was previously enclosed with bars, but these were replaced by glass floor-to-ceiling panels, which allow sunlight to stream in.
“It was not a welcoming area, as it was closed in and felt very clinical. It was a tutorial room with a little veranda that could not be used, and there was one door to get outside,” said Madonna.
“Now, that space is open, we can actually wheel in a bed in there and offer a change of scenery to those bed-bound patients who can’t mobilise at all.”
Benefits and usage of the Sky Garden
Main benefits include:
- Motivating patients to be mobile by offering a ‘destination’ where they can go outside of their hospital room (Their limited mobility means it can be difficult for them to leave the ward environment.)
- The design focuses on enhancing the recovery process, as exposure to natural light helps patients regulate sleep patterns and improve mood.
- Spending quality time with family and friends in an outdoor environment provides a break from the patient’s hospital stay and recovery process allowing a more natural homely feel.
- Every Monday and Thursday the patients have the opportunity to have a morning tea together to share in conversation and experiences.
How the Sky Garden was funded
The passionate and caring staff who work within this ward proposed this meaningful upgrade, which was made possible thanks to funds raised through The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation’s inaugural Giving Day in 2021.
To kickstart the fundraising process, the staff in 2D brainstormed some ideas at a ward meeting and executed some successful activities, including:
- Sweets sale
- Multicultural lunch
- Raffles, and
- Trivia night
“A lot of hard work and a lot of people’s own time was dedicated to fundraising. I’d suggest starting little and getting the whole team on board. Fundraising outside of work really did bring our team closer together, but the ultimate benefit is for the patients,” said Madonna.
Read more about how they fundraised for this impactful improvement, as well as Madonna’s top fundraising tips here.
Giving Day 2024
Our fourth annual Giving Day is on October 23, and this year, it is in support of sick and injured kids.
To learn more or get involved, click here.
