Children's surgical ward B7 — Canterbury
B7 is a ward with 24 beds for children who need to stay in hospital for surgery, and for some children who need medical management of conditions such as cystic fibrosis.
Where to find us
B7 is located on Level 7 of Christchurch Hospital Waipapa building.
Christchurch Hospital map
What to expect
Children up to the age of 16 years are admitted to B7 when they are having surgery. You can stay with your child on a fold down bed in their room. It needs to be folded away by 8am each morning.
We have a great team with experience taking care of children and teenagers and aim to make the hospital experience as positive as possible for you and your child.
Meals will be provided for your child. Tea, coffee and toast is provided for the parent or caregiver who is living in. You can ask your nurse about meal options for caregivers. We support breastfeeding mothers with equipment for expressing and for breast milk storage.
All children having elective surgery will have an appointment to children’s surgical admissions before being admitted to B7.
What to bring
Make a list of what you need to bring to hospital for yourself and your child. Some things to consider are:
- medications
- milk formula and feeding bottles
- other food or drink for after the surgery
- notebook and pen to write information and questions you may have.
- your mobile phone
- a favourite toy or distraction that your child enjoys.
How things work on the ward
There are 3 nursing shifts over a 24 hour period, so expect to see different nurses throughout your stay.
Observations
Nursing staff will regularly check on you and your child throughout the day and night. They will monitor your child's condition by making routine observations like:
- temperature
- blood pressure
- respiration
- heart rate.
They try to do this as quietly as possible, especially at night.
Ward rounds
Our paediatric doctors do ward rounds which usually start around 9am. They will review your child’s condition and discuss this with you, along with any tests or procedures and their results.
This is a good time to share any concerns you may have about your child’s condition or the medical management with the medical team. The time that the doctors see your child on ward rounds depends on the number of children staying in hospital and how unwell they are.
Activity room
The activity room is a licensed education centre. It provides education resources for children staying on the ward from birth to 16 years old.
The activity room is staffed by registered teachers and hospital play specialists. They are available on request and provide:
- distractions from procedures and medical interventions
- support for anxiety and fears
- help with settling into the hospital environment.
- developmentally appropriate distractions for procedures and medical interventions
- support for anxiety, fears and settling into the hospital environment.