Definition

Noun: A distinct section or unit within a hospital where patients who require similar types of medical treatment or care are accommodated. It is a block of rooms or a designated area for a specific group of patients.

Usage

The term "hospital ward" is used to specify a particular department or area in a hospital dedicated to a certain medical specialty or patient condition. It is a standard term in healthcare settings.

Examples

• The new mother was moved from the delivery room to the maternity ward.
• After his surgery, he recovered in the surgical ward for three days.
• Visiting hours for the children's ward are more flexible.
• The hospital is adding a new isolation ward for infectious diseases.

Advanced Usage

• "to be admitted to a ward": This phrase describes the process of being assigned a bed in a specific hospital section.
  • The patient was admitted to the cardiac ward for observation.
• "ward round": This is a standard practice where a doctor or a team of medical staff visits each patient in the ward to check on their progress.
  • The consultant makes her ward rounds every morning at 9 AM.

Variants and Related Words

• Ward (noun): Often used alone when the context clearly refers to a hospital. (e.g., )
• -ward (suffix): Used to form compound words specifying the type of ward. These are separate, specific terms, not the target phrase "hospital ward" itself.
  • Psychiatric ward: A ward for patients with mental health conditions.
  • Emergency ward: (Less common than "Emergency Room" or "ER") An area for urgent medical cases.
  • Burn ward: A specialized ward for treating patients with severe burns.

Synonyms

• Hospital unit: A more general term for a specialized department within a hospital.
• Department: Often used interchangeably in a hospital context (e.g., the oncology department).
• Floor: Sometimes used informally to refer to a ward, especially when a whole floor houses one type of care (e.g., ).

Antonyms

• Private room: A single room for one patient, as opposed to a shared ward area.
• Outpatient clinic: A facility where patients receive care without being admitted to a hospital bed or ward.

Related Phrases

• General ward: A standard ward for patients not requiring intensive or highly specialized care.
• Open ward: A large room with multiple beds, as opposed to smaller bays or private rooms.

Noun

1. block forming a division of a hospital (or a suite of rooms) shared by patients who need a similar kind of care
   • they put her in a 4-bed ward