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Patient Safety

  1. Boone County Hospital wants your healthcare to be as safe as possible. Part of the responsibility in preventing errors can start with you! Following are a few tips for being an advocate for safe healthcare:
  2. The single most important way you can help prevent errors is to be an active member of your healthcare team.
    • Make sure all of your doctors know about the medication(s) you are taking.
    • Prescription Drugs
    • Over­the­Counter (OTC) Medications
    • Dietary Supplements
    • Vitamins and Herbs
  3. Make sure your doctor knows about any allergies and adverse reactions you may have had to medicines.
  4. When your doctor writes a prescription for you, make sure YOU can read it.
  5. Ask for information about your medicine in terms you can understand—both when your medicine is prescribed and when you receive it.
  6. Remember proper hand­washing prevents hospital acquired infections for visitors, employees and patients.
  7. When you are brought medications and intravenous solutions, ASK the nurse or technician what they are giving you and what it is for.
  8. When you are being discharged from the hospital, ask your doctor and nurse to explain the treatment plan you will use at home.
  9. If you are having surgery or any procedure, make sure you and the doctor’s involved agree and are clear on exactly what will be done.
  10. SPEAK UP if you have questions or concerns.
  11. Ask a family member or friend to be there with you as your advocate. You might consider creating a Medical Power of Attorney document.
  12. Preventing Falls—Since Patient safety is a priority, patients determined to be at risk of falling will have several precautions implemented to assure they are safe.
    • Nurses will alert all staff to anyone found to be “at risk” for falls.
    • A “Fall Precautions” sign will be hung on the patient’s door. The door must remain open at all times so the patient can be monitored.
    • Patients’ determined at risk of falls will wear red slipper socks with a special tread on the bottom of them.
    • Physical or occupational therapy may be started.
    • The patient room should be free of clutter.
    • A walker or cane should be left near the patient’s bed to avoid over­reaching. If help is needed, please use your nurse call button.
    • Let us know if there is something you need that you normally have at home within your reach.
  13. Restraints—The fear that someone will fall is never a good reason for using a restraint. Restraints will only be used if all measures have been tried and failed. We rely on you to help us to not use restraints by following our suggestions listed in “Preventing Falls.”
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