My UAB Medicine Toolkit | Page 12

• Preventing Falls PATIENT CARE AND VISITORPLAN GUIDE PARTICIPATE IN YOUR Here are some ways you can be involved: Fall prevention is important to us and your safety is our priority. Certain factors can increase your risk for falling. Let your care team know if you have a history of falling and always call for assistance, especially if you feel lightheaded, weak, or unsteady on your feet. Your care team will assist you in daily activities such as personal hygiene, walking, and getting out of bed. • Hand Hygiene We require all staff to clean their hands prior to entering a patient room and before any hands-on care. Cleaning our hands is the most important precaution we can take to prevent the spread of infection. We encourage families and guests to frequently clean their hands with the hand rub provided throughout the hospital. Ask anyone who has contact with you if they have cleaned their hands – do not be shy. They will not mind. Help us by being a partner in your care! repeat what the doctors and nurses say in your own words and take notes. • Ask any questions you have – speak up if something is unclear or confusing and keep asking until you understand. • Only agree to those things that you fully understand. • Remember that you have many rights as a patient including the right to refuse any treatments. • Provide complete and accurate information about your medical history, conditions, and allergies. • Let us know if you are participating in a research study. • Pressure Ulcer Prevention • Listen carefully when the risks, benefits, and alternatives of any procedure are being explained – Lying in bed for long periods of time without moving can lead to pressure ulcers or damage to the skin, also called bed sores. To prevent pressure ulcers, your care team will help you get out of bed, keep you clean and dry, and make sure you get enough nutrition. If you are unable to turn or get up, they will turn you frequently. Pressure relieving devices such as foam dressings, wedges and boots may also be used. • If you are having surgery, participate with the care team in marking your surgical site. • Tell us who your family members or friends are and how you want them to be involved. • Use the My Workbook section of this Toolkit to write down any questions, notes, or information. WHAT TO EXPECT Rounding Nursing and clinical staff will visit you throughout the day to make sure you are comfortable and all your care needs are met. We call this “hourly rounding”, and we will round on you once each hour while you are awake and every two hours through the night. We will ask about your pain and any other discomfort you may be experiencing. We will also assist you to the restroom and make sure you have everything you need within reach. If at any time during your stay you feel you are not getting very good care, please let us know. Speak up! This is your time to ask questions and be an advocate for yourself or your loved one. Quiet Time A calm and healing environment can support the patient’s sleep, health and overall recovery. While we try • Pain Management Make sure you tell us if you have pain. We want to know so we can control it during your stay. Additional ways to control pain may include relaxation techniques, hot or cold therapy, and deep breathing exercises. Please let us know what works best for you so that we can help! You can also tune to channel 116 on your television, which provides relaxing images and music to help ease discomfort and pain. Remember! You are not complaining when you tell us about your pain. Pain relief is important to your recovery. to decrease noise, feel free to close your door when resting and notify us if we are being too loud. Tune to channel