Your Healthcare Team
DELSUTH is an academic health sciences center and teaching hospital. In addition to hospital staff members, medical students may also be involved in your care while you are at the hospital. Here is an overview of some of the health care professionals who may contribute to your care during your stay.
- Attending doctor: the doctor in charge of and responsible for your care.
- Resident doctor: a doctor with advanced training in patient care. The resident reports to the attending doctor.
- Fellow: doctor who has completed residency training and is undertaking additional training in a specialty area.
- Consultants: a doctor with expertise in a particular area. This doctor may be called on by the attending doctor and asked to assist in diagnosis and treatment.
- Medical students: in teaching hospitals like DELSUTH where medical students are trained, medicals students as a part of their training, are included in the medical team.
- Matron: the nurse in charge of supervising the unit and is available to discuss nursing care, hospital services or the patient’s needs and comfort.
- Registered nurses: registered nurses provide direct care to patients and observe, assess, and record symptoms, reactions, and progress. They also assist doctors during treatments and examinations, administer medications, and assist in convalescence and rehabilitation.
- Advanced practice nurses: registered nurses with additional education and clinical training in a specific area of health care. There are several kinds of advanced practice nurses, including clinical nurse specialists who specialize in one area of nursing, and nurse practitioners who perform physical exams, diagnose patient problems, treat illness, educate patients and families and may also participate in research.
- Social workers: these professionals help families adjust to illness, access community resources and plan for post-discharge needs and services.
- Dietician: including Registered Dieticians and Dietetic Technicians, are nutrition experts who evaluate and modify a patient’s eating patterns. They work with family and medical staff to recommend dietary changes that will promote recovery and prevent complications.
- Physiotherapists: help patients move independently by building strength and restoring function to the greatest extent possible.
Clinical trials
Research is integral to both patients and staff at DELSUTH and occasionally patients are invited to be part of the research process. Clinical trials or research studies are organized tests of medicines and new treatment options. These studies rely on patient volunteers who try the new or changed treatment under strict medical supervision. Clinical trial participation is always voluntary and all trials are approved by the Research Board of Ethics before they proceed.