It’s Patient Safety Awareness Week. For many patients in the hospital, they are focused on their health and with the reason why they are there. They may be dealing with a disease, isolated incident, or have an injury that requires surgery. As responsible patients, they must take steps to keep safety in mind. Here are some guidelines to help ensure your safety as a patient.
Communicate
Be sure to write down your questions or concerns. This ensures that you will remember them all. Speak with the doctor to get the answers you need. Don’t stop asking questions until you fully understand the answers.
Understand Your Treatment
By understanding your treatment options and what procedures will need to be done, you can better protect yourself and know what to expect. If you were to have surgery, you could ask questions about how to prepare for surgery, what tools will be used, and how to prevent infection.
Ask For Help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Often, there are medications and procedures that can leave you feeling tired or fatigued. Attempting to get up out of bed without help when you are unsteady could result in a fall or re-injury. When you need help, use the call button to have a nurse help you.
Cover Your Mouth and Wash Your Hands
The best option to prevent spreading germs is to cough into your elbow, reducing the contamination of your hands. If you cough or sneeze into your hands, make sure you wash them completely to help avoid getting others sick.
At Garden City Hospital, we want to make sure our patients are safe at all times to ensure the best possible recovery. You can be sure we’re taking the steps to keep you safe at all times with your health in mind.
Visit our hospital today.
