Sending flowers to Cavan General Hospital

Cavan General Hospital (Ospidéal Ginearálta an Chabháin) is a public hospital in Cavan, the county town of County Cavan, in Ulster, close to the border with County Fermanagh. It is managed by RCSI Hospitals and provides acute care with 264 beds, of which 193 are inpatient acute beds, 46 are for day cases and 25 are for psychiatric services, together with a 24-hour emergency department. The hospital was officially opened in 1989 by the then Minister for Health, Rory O'Hanlon. For patients and visitors from Cavan town and the county around it this is the main local hospital, so a hospital stay often means visitors travelling a good distance on country roads.

Finding the hospital

Cavan town is bypassed by the N3 road between Dublin and Enniskillen, and the hospital stands outside the town centre. It is a short taxi ride or around 15 to 20 minutes on foot from the centre of Cavan, and there are car parks in the grounds. Several bus routes serve the hospital, including a route to Enniskillen, a Bus Éireann route to Monaghan via Cootehill and a route linking Longford, Arva and Cavan. If you are delivering a gift in person, bring it in a bag that can be carried on to a ward, and ask at reception for directions to the ward rather than leaving it at the desk.

Ring the ward first

Many wards in Irish public hospitals limit or ban flowers, particularly in intensive care, high-dependency units, maternity wards with infection concerns and rooms for patients with weak immune systems. Rules differ ward by ward, so call the hospital, ask for the ward by name and ask the nurse in charge if flowers, plants and balloons are allowed. Give the patient's full name, because the staff cannot always find a patient from a first name alone. If you do not know the ward, ask the patient or a family member. Write the ward on the card and in the delivery instructions so that a florist or courier does not have to guess.

Alternatives that work on any ward

If flowers are not allowed, a card with a handwritten message is always welcome, and a new paperback, a puzzle book or a pair of warm socks can make the long hours between visits easier to bear. Because many visitors drive some distance, a short note that says you are thinking of someone does not require them to travel at all. A cheerful bouquet delivered to the patient's home in Cavan, timed for their return, is a lovely way of saying welcome back, and a florist can arrange it on a delivery date you choose once you know the discharge date.

Choosing flowers if the ward agrees

A small, tidy arrangement in a stable vase is best. Pick lightly scented flowers such as roses, carnations, gerberas, freesias in moderation or spray chrysanthemums, and avoid lilies with heavy pollen. Flowers last longer if the water is topped up each day, so ask a nurse or relative to look in. For a long stay, a sturdy mix of foliage and a few blooms will outlast an expensive bunch of delicate stems, and bright colours suit a ward where the walls are plain.

Remember the people at home

A hospital stay affects the whole household. A bouquet for the husband, wife, son or daughter who is making the daily journey is a thoughtful gesture, and a neighbour who has been feeding the dog or watching the house will be glad of a small thank-you. Cavan has a strong farming tradition, and a patient whose animals are being looked after by friends will appreciate the gesture of a bunch of flowers for those friends.

Sympathy and difficult news

If a patient is very ill or has died, flowers are best sent to the family rather than to the hospital. Read the notice on rip.ie, check whether the family wants flowers or a donation, and ask the funeral director where to deliver. A short message on the card, such as a memory of the person, is worth more than a long one.

Did you know? Cavan General Hospital was officially opened in 1989 by Rory O'Hanlon, then Minister for Health.