Access to Services Additional Care A patient Guidebook

Access to Services Additional Care A patient Guidebook Battle Creek

Access to Services Additional Care A patient Guidebook Battle Creek

Table of Contents Controlling Your Blood Glucose While in the Hospital... 2 Blood Clots (DVT)... 3 Rapid Response Team... 5 Safety: Speak Up & Ask... 6 Safety: Fall Prevention... 8 Safety: Pain Management... 9 Tobacco Cessation... 12 Other Information... 13 TV Channel Listings... 17 1

Managing Your Blood Sugar Levels During Your Hospital Stay Glucose Control for the Hospitalized Patient Blood sugar is a term used to refer to the levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Glucose is the primary source of energy for the body s cells. Normally blood glucose levels stay within narrow limits throughout the day, rising after meals and are usually lowest in the morning, before the first meal of the day. But they can change dramatically as a result of injury, medication and stress. A government study concluded that blood sugar control has a significant impact on healthrelated outcomes during a patient s hospital stay. High sugar counts in the blood stream are bad because they cause inflammation which makes it harder for the body to heal. That is why tests the blood sugar levels of all its adult patients at least daily. Depending upon the results, we may conduct additional tests. The purpose is for us to help the patient avoid dramatic changes in their blood sugar levels so the body can heal more rapidly. How and Why Controlling Blood Sugar Makes a Difference Why is your blood sugar level tested? Keeping your blood sugar below a certain level may not only help your body fight infection but also help your body heal, which means you will have a faster recovery. Testing will help your health care team keep your blood sugar level under control. Why would I have high blood sugar? There may be a lot of reasons. But it is normal for patients to have high blood sugar while in the hospital even if they do not have diabetes. A higher blood sugar level is a way your body responds to injury, medication, surgery or stress. Why is it important to control my blood sugar? Studies have shown that certain patients get better more quickly if their blood sugar is controlled. In general, patients in the studies had fewer infections or complications and went home sooner when their blood sugar was controlled. How will you control my blood sugar? Your health care team will test your blood sugar regularly. When your level is too high, you will probably receive a small dose of insulin. That is the same thing your body normally would do to keep your level in a normal range. The insulin can be administered by a shot or added to your intravenous (IV) drip. It is also important that your blood sugar level does not drop too low either. Your health care team will make certain you have the correct medication and food to keep your blood sugars in control. 2

Does this mean I have diabetes? Not necessarily. High blood sugar in a hospital setting is usually temporary. Most patients who did not have diabetes when they came in to the hospital get back to normal after they recover. How long will my blood sugar have to be tested? It depends on how steady your blood sugar levels are and how quickly you recover. Your physician or health care team can give you the best idea of what you can expect and when. Please remember that controlling your blood sugar can play an important role in helping you recover. If you would like to find out more about blood sugar testing and your health, talk with your doctor or your health care team. Diabetes Center Medical Office Building 363 Fremont Street Suite 308 Battle Creek, MI 49017 Phone: (269) 245-8190 Know the Risks for Deep Vein Thrombosis (Blood Clots) Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), also known as a blood clot, is a condition in which a blood clot forms in a vein that is deep inside the body. At we are committed to preventing this complication during your stay with us. Some medical conditions or treatments of injuries may require you to be on bedrest or immobilized during your stay. When it is safe, your physician and the staff at BBC will encourage and assist you with physical activity, range of motion to arms and legs, or with ambulation during your stay. More than 900,000 Americans suffer a DVT (blood clot) each year, and 500,000 of these persons develop Pulmonary Embolism (PE), which causes some 300,000 deaths. This condition remains the most common preventable cause of hospital death. Current estimates suggest that less than 50 percent of patients diagnosed and hospitalized with blood clot had received prophylaxis, (NQF, 2008). 3

Who is at risk? Everyone. Your physician will complete a risk assessment within 24 hours of your hospital admission and decide your risk level along with the best type of prevention for you. Risk Factors Surgery that reduces blood flow to a part of your body Major surgery on a hip, knee, leg, calf, abdomen or chest Orthopedic surgery, such as hip replacement Increased risk with age, especially over 60 Lifestyle factors Sitting or inactivity for long periods of time Long airplane flights or car trips Extra weight Current use of birth control pills or patches Smoking Signs and Symptoms Often, DVT occurs without signs or symptoms and can be hard to detect. Contact your doctor if you notice: Swelling of the leg Pain or tenderness in the leg; the pain is usually in one leg and may only be present when standing or walking Leg feels warm to the touch Red or discolored skin Seek urgent medical help if you have: Unexplained shortness of breath Chest pain or palpitations Anxiety and/or sweating Coughing up blood Fatigue and/or fainting DVT and Pulmonary Embolism DVT can lead to pulmonary embolism (PE). PE occurs when a blood clot breaks loose, travels through the veins, and blocks a blood vessel leading to the lungs. Source: American Public Health Association 4

Rapid Response Team If you re concerned about your loved one, we need to know. Patient safety is our first concern. That is why we have created the Rapid Response Team. This team includes specially trained nurses and respiratory therapists. This approach to health care involves anyone caring for the patient, including a family member. If you feel your family member s condition is getting worse or you have a feeling something is wrong, we want to know. You can seek help by calling the nurse. If you still have concerns, call the Rapid Response Team. Tell them you need the Rapid Response Team and give them the patient name and room number. The Rapid Response Team number is 54444 Battle Creek 5

Speak Up and Ask Five Things You Can Do to Prevent Infection Avoiding contagious diseases like the common cold, strep throat, and the flu is important to everyone. Here are five easy things you can do to fight the spread of infection. 1 Clean your hands. Use soap and warm water. Rub your hands really well for at least 15 seconds. Rub your palms, fingernails, in between your fingers, and the backs of your hands. Or, if your hands do not look dirty, clean them with alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Rub the sanitizer all over your hands, especially under your nails and between your fingers, until your hands are dry. Clean your hands before touching or eating food. Clean them after you use the bathroom, take out the trash, change a diaper, visit someone who is ill, or play with a pet. 2 Make sure health care providers clean their hands and wear gloves. Doctors, nurses, dentists and other health care providers come into contact with lots of bacteria and viruses. So before they treat you, ask them if they ve cleaned their hands. Health care providers should wear clean gloves when they perform tasks such as taking throat cultures, pulling teeth, taking blood, touching wounds or body fluids, and examining your mouth or private parts. Don t be afraid to ask them if they should wear gloves. 3 Cover your mouth and nose. Many diseases are spread through sneezes and coughs. When you sneeze or cough, the germs can travel 3 feet or more! Cover your mouth and nose to prevent the spread of infection to others. Use a tissue. Keep tissues handy at home, at work and in your pocket. Be sure to throw away used tissues and clean your hands after coughing or sneezing. If you don t have a tissue, cover your mouth or nose with the bend of your elbow or hands. If you use your hands, clean them right away. 6

4 If you are sick, avoid close contact with others. If you are sick, stay away from other people or stay home. Don t shake hands or touch others. When you go for medical treatment, call ahead and ask if there s anything you can do to avoid infecting people in the waiting room. 5 Get shots to avoid disease and the spread of infection. Make sure that your vaccinations are current even for adults. Check with your doctor about shots you may need. Vaccinations are available to prevent these diseases: (can you use a 3-column list for these?) Chicken pox Tetanus Flu (also known as influenza) Mumps Hepatitis German measles (also known as Rubella) Human papillomavirus (HPV) Measles Shingles Whooping cough (also known as Pertussis) Pneumonia (Streptococcus pneumonia) Diphtheria Meningitis Patient Precautions Standard Precautions Standard Precautions are used with all patients regardless of diagnosis. When using these precautions hospital staff will: Wash hands before and after entering room May wear gloves, gowns, mask, eye protection or a face shield depending on exposure to bodily fluids Contact Precautions Contact Precautions are used when you have a condition or infection that can be spread to others through close contact. When using these precautions the hospital staff will: Wash hands before and after entering room Wear gloves and gowns when in contact with you or your environment Place a sign on your door informing staff of the precautions Droplet Precautions Droplet Precautions are used when you have germs in your lungs or throat that can spread when you cough, sneeze or speak. When using these precautions the hospital staff will: Wash hands before and after entering your room Wear a mask when within three feet of you Place a sign on your door informing staff of the precautions Airborne Precautions Airborne Precautions are used when you have a condition in which you may infect others by tiny droplets from your respiratory tract that float suspended in the air. When using these precautions the hospital staff will: Wash hands before and after entering your room Wear a special mask while in your room Keep your room door closed Place you in a room that has special ventilation Place a sign on your door informing staff of the precautions Have your visitors wear a simple mask Patients and their families are the most important partners on the healthcare team. We want you to ask questions, share information, and help make decisions about your care. 7

Partnering for Safety Fall Prevention Every hospital across the country is trying to keep patients safe by eliminating falls. is doing this by checking on you frequently and ensuring your safety. If the nursing staff determines that you are at risk of falling, they will implement our fall prevention program: Place Fall Risk bracelet on you Assess you for falls on a routine basis Educate you and/or your family on prevention If you are found to be at high risk: You will have your bed alarm on as a reminder to get help before getting out of bed alone. A Yellow flag will be flipped outside your door as a way to communicate to all caregivers to provide assistance to you when getting out of bed. How can you help? If you need to get out of bed, use the call light to call a nurse or PCA for assistance. Wear non-skid slippers when out of bed. Use your ambulatory aid (walker, crutches) when up if you have one. Inform the nurse if you are having any dizziness prior to standing. Exercise your muscles and joints to keep in good shape to prevent falls. Questions concerning your care The medical staff is here to see that you receive the best possible care and treatment during your hospital stay. We will also assist you in arranging necessary follow-up care once you have left the hospital. Ask your nurse if you have questions or concerns. 8

Pain Management Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as you are uncomfortable or in pain. Do not wait until it is really bad. Most pain can be controlled and will be responded to promptly. It is OK to ask again if you feel your pain has not been addressed. Are you in pain? Tell us! 0 2 4 6 8 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 No Pain Mild Pain Moderate Pain Severe Pain Very Severe Pain Worst Possible Pain Speak Up What You Should Know About Pain Management There are many different causes and kinds of pain. Pain can be caused by injury, illness, sickness, disease or surgery. Treating pain is the responsibility of your doctor, nurse and other caregivers. You can help them by asking questions. Below are some questions to help you. Questions to Ask Your Caregivers What pain medicine is being ordered or given to you? Can you explain the dosage and times that the medicine needs to be given? How often should you take the medicine? How long will you need to take the pain medicine? Can you take the pain medicine with food? Can you take the pain medicine with other medicines? Should you avoid drinking alcohol while taking the pain medicine? What are the side effects of the pain medicine? What should you do if the medicine makes you sick to your stomach? What can you do if the pain medicine is not working? What else can you do to help treat your pain? 9

Talking About Your Pain Is it important for doctors and nurses to constantly ask about your pain? Yes. This is because pain changes over time. Your pain medicine also might not be working. Doctors and nurses should ask about your pain regularly. What do you need to tell your doctor and nurse about your pain? First, tell them that you have pain, even if they don t ask. Your doctor or nurse may ask you to describe how bad your pain is on a scale of 0 (zero) to 10 with 10 being the worst pain. They may use other pain scales that use words, colors, faces or pictures. Tell them where and when it hurts. Tell them if you can t sleep or do things like dressing or climbing stairs because of pain. The more they know about your pain the better they can treat it. The following words can be used to describe your pain. o Aching o Constant o Pressure o Shooting o Bloating o Cutting o Pulling o Soreness o Burning o Dull o Radiating o Stabbing o Cramping o Numbing o Searing o Throbbing o Comes and goes o Pressing o Sharp o Tightness What can you do when your pain gets worse? Tell your doctor or nurse. Tell them how bad your pain is or if you are in pain most of the time. Tell your doctor if the pain medicine you re taking is not helping. Should you include pain medicine on your list of medicines or medication card? Yes! Even pain medicine that you will take for a short time should be listed with all of your other medicines. List all of your pain medicines those prescribed by your doctor and those you buy over-the-counter. Managing Your Pain What can be done to treat pain? There are many ways to manage your pain. There are medicines that can be used to relieve pain. There are also other ways to treat pain without taking medicine. Your doctor will work with you to find out what works best for you. What are some of the medicines used to treat pain? Some pain medicines are acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and opioids. Opioids include morphine, oxycodone and hydromorphone. Many of these medicines come in pills, liquids, suppositories and skin patches. Some pain may be treated with medicines that are not usually thought of as pain relievers. For example, antidepressants. 10

Are there other ways to relieve pain? That will depend on your illness or condition and how much pain you have. Sometimes pain can be relieved in other ways. Some other treatments for pain are listed here: Acupuncture, which uses small needles to block pain Taking your mind off the pain with movies, games and conversation Electrical nerve stimulation, which uses small jolts of electricity to block pain Physical therapy Hypnosis Massage Exercise Heat or cold Relaxation What are the side effects of pain medicines? It depends on the medicine. Side effects can include constipation, nausea, vomiting, itching and sleepiness. What can you do if you have side effects or a bad reaction? Call your doctor or nurse as soon as possible. Find out what can be done to treat the side effect. Ask if there is another pain medicine that may work better for you. Are you afraid to take pain medicine? You may have had a bad experience taking pain medicine in the past, such as a side effect or bad reaction. Or you may be taking many other medicines. Your doctor or nurse should be able to ease your fears. It s important that you take your medicine. Are you afraid that you ll become addicted to pain medicine? That is a common concern of patients. Studies show that addiction is unlikely. This is especially true if the patient has never had an addiction. Talk to your doctor or nurse about your fears. Are you afraid that your pain medicine won t work if you take it for a long time? This is called tolerance. It means that after a while your body gets used to the medicine and you need to make a change to get pain relief. It s also possible that the condition causing your pain is getting worse or you have a new type of pain. You may need more medicine or a different kind of medicine to control your pain. Talk to your doctor or nurse. Can you crush pills if you can t swallow them? Check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. Some medicines can be crushed and some cannot. For example, time-release medicines should not be crushed. Ask your doctor or nurse if the medicine comes in a liquid or can be given another way. The goal of the Speak Up program is to help patients become more informed and involved in their health care. www.jointcommission.org 11

Tobacco Cessation Do you want to quit smoking? Here are some resources that can help you succeed! American Cancer Society Call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org (free) They provide great information on quitting. American Lung Association Call 1-800-548-8252 or visit www.ffsonline.org (free) Fresh Start Program Call 269-245-8438 (free) This program is a four-part series, which occurs twice a year (February and October). This program is open to the community and is done in a group format. This format provides you with professional assistance, discussions, tips and encouragement from other smokers. Please call for the upcoming schedule. Michigan Tobacco Quitline Call 1-800-784-8669 (free) Telephone counseling and low cost or free nicotine replacement therapy available depending on insurance benefits or lack of benefits. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Health and Energy Acupuncture Call 269-962-2836 (fee for service) Pfizer Chantix Call 1-866-706-2400 or visit www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com Chantix is the new oral medication, by prescription only, that can help you quit smoking. Are you uninsured? Need help paying for this medication? Pfizer has programs that can help, no matter what your age or income. The EX Plan Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit www.becomeanex.org (free) This is a free program that provides you with the tools, resources, information and exercises that will help you quit smoking. The program is broken down into three sections habits, addictions and support. It will help you develop a personal plan for quitting. Quit the Nic (covered benefit) Call BlueHealthConnection at 1-800-775-2583 This is a telephone-based program for all Blue Care Network and Blue Cross/Blue Shield members. It is designed to help smokers quit all forms of tobacco use. Members will receive educational materials as well as telephone support, which address plans of action and coping responses. Nicotine Anonymous Visit www.nicotine-anonymous.org This is web-based support for nicotine addiction. National Cancer Institute Call 1-800-44U-QUIT or visit www.smokefree.org 12

Other Information to Make Your Stay at More Comfortable Customer Relations As a valued guest the Patient Relations department is available to assist you and your family. They can resolve concerns that have not been properly addressed by your hospital care staff. They are also interested in your suggestions and compliments. Call 245-8333 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday thru Friday. After hours and weekends, leave a message and your call will be returned on the next business day. For immediate assistance after hours, please call the operator by dialing 0. If your concern is not resolved through, you may file a complaint via: Consumer & Industry Services The Joint Commission Office of Health Services Office of Quality Monitoring Complaint and Allegation Division The Joint Commission P.O. Box 30670 One Renaissance Boulevard Lansing, MI 48909-9196 Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 Request a complaint form by phone: Fax: (630) 792-5636 (517) 373-9196 or toll free at (800) 882-6006. Email: complaint@jointcommission.org Download a complaint form online: www.jointcommission.org/general/public/complaint www.michigan.gov/mdch Other Important Numbers Administration... 58001 Billing Questions (after leaving the hospital)... (800) 227-9945 Chaplain/Advance Directives... 58457 Customer Relations.... 58333 Operator... 0 Patient Financial Services... 58089 Pharmacy (Public)... 58646 Safety/Security/Lost & Found... 58395 13

Care of Valuables is not responsible for personal belongings. Personal belongings include clothing, jewelry, eyeglasses, dentures, hearing aids and electronic devices. To safeguard your belongings, please send valuables home with a friend or family member. If you must keep something of value, please contact your nurse and request that your valuables be placed in our valuables safe in the Security Office. A security officer will come to your room, inventory your items with your supervision and deposit them in our safe. All valuables will be returned to you at the time of your discharge. Telephones Free local calls may be made at any time from your room by pressing the Local Calls button on your telephone, and the number you are calling. In patient rooms you may receive calls in your room from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Long distance collect calls can be made at any time by pressing the Long Distance button on your telephone, 1 and the number you are calling. Long distance calls cannot be charged to your room. You can make a credit card call, collect call or charge a long distance call back to your home number. Gift Shop has a Gift Shop located in the Atrium of the main hospital near the Emergency Department entrance. Many unique gifts are available. Gift Shop hours: Monday Friday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Call x56170 to confirm if open after 5 p.m.) Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday: 1 to 4 p.m. 14

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TV Channel Listings Thank you for choosing for your healthcare needs. We appreciate your trust. While you are here, we hope you will enjoy the expanded TV channel offerings. After all, your comfort is one of our primary goals. CH New TV Channel Lineup CH New TV Channel Lineup 3 CBS, WWMT 43 Golf Channel 4 ABC, WOTV 44 Big Ten Network 6 FOX, WXMI 45 Bloomberg TV 8 NBC, WOOD 46 CNBC 10 ABC, WZZM 47 MSNBC 11 Cartoon Network 48 Fox News 12 BET 49 Fox Business Network 13 CNN 50 AMC 14 The CW Channel 51 Fox Movie Channel 15 WXSP 52 A&E 16 Discovery 53 TLC 17 FX 54 Biography 18 PBS WGVU 55 The History Channel 22 Disney 56 National Geographic Channel 23 ABC Family 57 E! 24 TNT 58 Animal Planet 25 Headline News 59 Travel Channel 26 USA Network 60 Planet Green 27 The Weather Channel 61 RFD-TV 28 TBS 62 Food Network 29 CMT 63 Fit TV 30 Veggie Tales 64 Fine Living 31 Nickelodeon 65 Lifetime 32 The Bible Network 66 Lifetime Movie Network 33 VH1 Classic 67 Military Channel 34 SOAP Network 68 Fuel TV 35 Fox Sports Detroit 69 The Sportsman Channel 36 ESPN 70 TV Land 37 ESPN 2 71 Science Channel 38 ESPN News 72 Oldies 70 s 39 ESPNU 73 Oldies 80 s 40 CBS College Sports 74 Contemporary 90 s 41 NFL Network 75 Classic Jazz Vocal/Band 42 NHL Network 76 American Standards/Big Band 77 XM Music Radio Disney 17

EMMETT STREET NORTH AVENUE LEILA STREET EMMETT STREET Parking Lot 2 Main/ Emergency Entrance Hospital Parking Lot 3 Medical Office Bld. Parking Lot 4 Outpatient Center FREMONT STREET Parking Lot 5 Cancer Care Center EMMETT STREET Hospital 300 North Avenue Battle Creek, Michigan 49017 (269) 245-8000 bronsonbattlecreek.com Battle Creek