VISITING HOURS
TGH’s Burn Center does not have specific visiting hours. We have an open visitation policy, allowing you to visit your loved one when they need care and support most. However, please keep your loved one’s treatment schedule and recovery in mind before you visit.THE BURN CENTER LOCATION
The burn unit is located on the TGH campus in the West Pavilion on 6C, which means the sixth floor of the West Pavilion in the area where all rooms are labeled “C.” If you become confused or lost while trying to navigate the hospital, there will be signage directing you where to go once you exit the elevator.When you visit the burn center, you will notice that there are no call buttons. Instead, there are phones outside of our unit doors. Please pick up a phone and dial the nurses’ station. Once they have answered, let them know that you are waiting in the unit and who you are there to visit. They will then open the doors to the unit.
PARKING INFORMATION
For a flat, $3 fee, visitors can park in the parking garage located on the TGH campus and there is off-site parking for free. Click here for additional parking options and information.If you would like to receive more information about how to get to TGH’s Burn Center, please call our general number at (813) 844-7141.
VISITOR RESTRICTIONS
When visiting TGH’s Burn Center, there are visitor restrictions to consider. For example, we have semi-private rooms, and because of the nature of these rooms, as well as the consideration that we have for all of our recovering patients, we do not allow spouses, family members, or other guests to spend the night.Please also be mindful of:
DRESSING CHANGES
Burn patients often require dressing changes to promote proper healing and recovery. These changes may take up to several hours and could impact your visiting time. Please call the unit before you visit, and we will do our best to work around your schedule. Visitors that do not call ahead may be directed to a family waiting room while the dressing change is occurring. A member of our staff will alert you when it is done and when you can come back to visit your loved one.YOUTH VISITORS
While recovering burn patients are likely to have loved ones of all ages eager to visit them, we discourage children under the age of 12 from visiting our burn center. The child, and especially the burn patient, run a higher risk of infection, and the activity level of younger children is often not conducive for patient recovery.INFECTION CONTROL & PREVENTION
Preventing the spread of infection is of the utmost importance when visiting a burn patient, as an infection can greatly impede recovery. For the safety and comfort of our burn center patients, we ask that:
- Only two visitors be present with a patient at a time
- Children aged 12 or older be supervised at all times
- You do not visit if you are ill
- You wash your hands before and when leaving the burn center; the use of hand sanitizer before and after the visit is also encouraged
- Protective garb, including blue gowns, gloves, and masks, be worn during the visit in both the intensive care unit and the wound care unit; the attire must be put on properly before you will be allowed to enter the room, and it can be thrown away at the end of the visit once you leave the room.
Additionally, plants and flowers of any kind will not be allowed in the center at any time, as they are a health risk to patients. Balloons and other latex products are also prohibited because they can lead to allergic reactions and other health concerns.
Call (813) 844-7141 for more information about the burn center’s visitor restrictions.
CRITERIA FOR REFERRAL
If your family member or friend is currently being treated for burn at a hospital without a burn unit, then they may qualify to be transferred to TGH’s Burn Center. Typically, patients may be referred to our burn unit if they are suffering from:
- Partial thickness burns that cover more than 10 percent of the body’s surface
- Burns on the hands, face, feet, genitalia, perineum, or major joints
- Electrical or chemical burns
- An inhalation injury
- Both a burn injury and a preexisting medical condition that could hinder recovery
- Burns and concomitant trauma
- A burn, as well as social, emotional, or rehabilitative issues that may require intervention
If your loved one meets these criteria, then speak with the attending physician about being transferred to TGH. We ask that there is at least one family representative designated to serve as the contact person. This representative will meet with the burn team to help answer questions so that we can deliver the best possible care for your loved one.
Call (813) 844-7141 if you have questions about referring a loved one to TGH’s Burn Center.
RECOVERY & REHABILITATION
Many patients who receive burn treatment at Tampa General Hospital can expect their recovery process to involve rehabilitation. If burn rehabilitation has been recommended for your loved one, then it will likely be completed on an outpatient basis at our Outpatient Rehabilitation Center. Our specialized team of occupational therapists help burn patients complete a variety of exercises and therapies, including scar management, range of motion exercises, and the fitting of pressure garments to reduce scarring.
To learn more about TGH’s Outpatient Rehabilitation and how we can help your loved one recover after a burn injury, contact the burn rehabilitation team at (813) 844-7706. We would be happy to answer your questions and address any concerns that you may have.