PATIENT INFORMATION
Planning for Your Stay
We know that staying in a hospital can be a stressful experience and that you probably have questions about your surroundings. We’ve tried to anticipate your questions and explain them throughout this booklet. However, if you have additional questions, please don’t hesitate to ask the nursing staff, your physician or any other staff members you meet.
Authorization
Insurance companies often require pre-authorization, which means you must notify them before admission to the hospital, or within 48 hours of an emergency admission. Completing this process will ensure that you receive the maximum benefit from your insurance carrier.
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What to Bring
- Medical Insurance and social security cards
- A list of all medications you are currently taking (Please do not bring the medications themselves.)
- Nightclothes, robe and sturdy slippers
- Hairbrush, shaving items and other toiletries
- A small amount of cash (five to ten dollars should be enough for any items you may need.)
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What NOT to bring
- Medications
- Electrical appliances
- Jewelry and other valuables: Please leave all jewelry, money (except for small change) and other valuables at home. If you do have valuable items with you, including medications, you will be asked to seal them in a special envelope which will be placed in the Hospital’s safe. A receipt for the contents will be placed with your chart. At the time of your discharge, you may obtain your valuables by presenting your receipt at the Cashier’s Office. Keep only enough money with you to purchase newspapers and small items. Please remember that you are responsible for your dentures, eye glasses, hearing aids and prostheses. The hospital cannot assume responsibility for valuables or personal articles kept in your room or on your person.
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During Your Stay
Once you’re in your room, you will be assigned a nurse who will work with you to plan and direct your nursing care. In addition to taking your blood pressure and temperature, your nurse will ask you questions about your medical and social history. These are important for determining the care that you need while in the hospital.
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Calling a Nurse
If you need assistance, press the nurse call button. Your room number will light up at the nurse’s station, and a nurse will either come to your room or answer you through an intercom. Although your request is instantly relayed, a non-emergency call may not be answered immediately if your nurse is with another patient.
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Room Assignment
Room assignments depend on factors such as patient diagnosis, sex and necessary observation. Most rooms have two beds. If a patient requests a room change, the nursing staff will reassign rooms whenever possible.
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Telephone Usage/TTY Service
Bedside telephones are available to all patients except in the Intensive Care Unit and Psychiatric Unit. Patients can receive calls between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. Your friends and family can access your room via telephone by dialing the Hospital’s main number at
(860) 684-4251 or
(860) 749-2201 and then dialing your four-digit extension, which is the number “
6” followed by your three-digit room number. If you would like to make local calls from your room, dial
9, then the telephone number. For long distance calls, dial “
9,” then “
0” and the telephone number. These calls can be made using your phone card or credit card or by dialing collect.
TTY phones and hearing=aid-compatible telephones are available for use by deaf and hearing-impaired individuals. Please ask the staff if you would like to use one of these phones. In addition, the Hospital has a TTY number for use by hearing-impaired individuals.
The TTY number is (860) 684-8441.
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Television ServiceAll patient rooms are equipped with television sets at no extra charge. Each set has two remote-control units so either patient can regulate it from bedside. Both remotes also contain a speaker to enable you to enjoy your program without disturbing another patient. Closed captioning is available on all televisions. Please let the staff know if you would like this feature activated.
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Smoking
Johnson Memorial Hospital is a smoke-free facility, which means no smoking is permitted anywhere in the Hospital or within a significant distance from any building on the Hospital campus.
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Meals
The Dietary Department is committed to nutritional and culinary excellence and strives to make each patient’s meal experience a pleasant one. All patients and their families are encouraged to talk with a dietitian or other dietary staff member about any specific food preferences or requests. Should your physician prescribe a modified diet for you, our clinical dietitian will help you make selections within the limitations of the diet necessary for your recovery.
Meals are normally brought to patient rooms between the
following hours:
Breakfast —
7:30 to 8 a.m.
Lunch —
11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Dinner —
4:30 to 5 p.m.
Our dietitians understand that home-cooked food can sometimes be therapeutic for hospitalized patients. However, we cannot be responsible for the storage of any food items brought from home. If your friends or family members are planning to bring food into the Hospital for you, it’s very important that they consider any dietary restrictions you may have and that they follow safe food handling and transport techniques. Here are a few tips to pass on to those preparing meals:
- To reduce the chance of food contamination, always wash your hands thoroughly before preparing food, and practice sanitary food handling procedures during preparation. For example, you should remember to clean all food contact surfaces and use different utensils and cutting boards for raw and cooked foods.
- When transporting food items, hot foods should be kept hot, and cold foods should be kept cold. Be particularly mindful of highly perishable, high=protein foods such as milk, eggs, cheeses and meats. These foods should be carried in an insulated cooler with an ice pack.
If our dietary staff can be of any service to you, you’re encouraged to call them at extension 5167.
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Flower and Mail Delivery
Mail and flowers sent to you are brought to your room daily by a Hospital volunteer. The volunteer will also pick up any outgoing mail you may have.
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Translator Services
Translator services are available for those who communicate in American Sign Language.
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Patient Care Services
Your healthcare team is headed by your physician, who orders examinations, tests, medications and treatment. Working with your physician, Johnson Memorial Hospital’s nursing staff coordinates your care on a 24-hour basis, including administering medications and treatments and providing education regarding your illness. Many other people also play a role in your recovery. You’ll probably meet some- like patient care technicians, dietitians, pharmacists, therapists, technologists and more. Others, while they aren’t visible, are equally committed to providing you with the best possible care.
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CareLineThe CareLine provides you with access to the Patient Relations Department and the JMH Ethics Committee. You are welcome to use this number to share compliments, concerns or ethical issues. This office is staffed Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and can be reached during your stay at
extension 8277, from home at
(860) 684-8277,
or by e-mail at
CareLine@jmhosp.org.
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Volunteers
Over 100 dedicated volunteers play a key role in our ability to provide top-quality community healthcare. You’ll find both teenage and adult volunteers greeting visitors at the reception desk, staffing the Gift Shop, escorting patients and working behind the scenes in a myriad of areas to support Johnson Memorial’s staff. Our volunteers donate thousands of hours a year in an effort to make your hospital stay as pleasant as possible. If you would like information about volunteer opportunities at JMH, please call
extension 8216 or, from home,
(860) 684-8216.
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Pastoral Care
Johnson Memorial Hospital is dedicated to providing total patient care. An important element of this care is providing for the spiritual needs of a patient as those needs arise. Our Pastoral Care Department is here to assist with spiritual concerns of patients and families. The Chaplain is available to listen and be supportive from a spiritual perspective as well as provide prayer, when desired.
A visit from the Chaplain can be requested through the staff or by calling
extension 8226. Although he is here on a limited basis, he will respond to your request as best he can.
You may receive a visit from a Pastoral Visitor who works with the Chaplain to ensure that churches are notified, as needed, and to identify how we may provide spiritual assistance.
Be aware that the Hospital is not permitted to inform clergy of an individual’s hospitalization unless permission is received from the patient. If a patient is unable to provide consent, a family member can make the request. Many clergy desire that the patient and/or family call them personally. We are willing to do the contacting when necessary.
There is a Chapel located on the third floor of the Hospital, next to the lobby elevator. It is open at all times to provide a peaceful space for patients and families. Numerous pamphlets are available in the Chapel and address various concerns from a spiritual perspective.
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Hospice
The Hospice Program gives terminally ill, and other selected patients and their families, special care and comfort in homelike surroundings. Compassionate, highly skilled nurses and volunteers staff the program.
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Social Services
Professionally trained social workers provide confidential counseling for you and your family on issues such as illness and loss. They also offer information about community resources and help plan for post-discharge care. If you would like a visit with a social worker, ask your nurse to contact the
Social Services Department, or call them directly at extension 8229.
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Continuing Care
The emphasis in health care on shorter hospital stays and same-day surgery has made the role of Continuing Care even more important. Our staff of registered nurses works with your physician, social worker and case manager to plan for and arrange any post-hospital care you may need, including visiting nurses, home health aides, therapists or special equipment. If Hospice or nursing home care is appropriate, we can help you make these arrangements. Call the
Continuing Care Department at extension 8245 or, from home,
(860) 684-8245.
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Ethics Committee
We all have our own beliefs and values. Sometimes these conflict with the medical decisions being made by those caring for us. When such conflicts arise and the appropriate direction for treatment is unclear, the Ethics Committee will assist and support patients, families and the healthcare team in understanding decisions that cause concern. The Ethics Committee is comprised of physicians, nurses, a chaplain, a social worker and hospital staff who meet regularly to study the issues behind these conflicts. Patients, their families, staff or anyone with an ethical concern may request help from the
Ethics Committee by calling extension 8484 or extension 8164.
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Going Home
When you are well enough to leave the Hospital, your physician will write orders for your discharge. You’ll need to leave by 11 a.m. so we can prepare the room for the next person. Your nurse will arrange for you to be escorted to the discharge area in the main lobby.
Some Reminders
- If you have any questions about your care or medications, remember to ask your nurse.
- Check your room carefully to ensure that you have all your personal property. Remove all your belongings from the bedside cabinet and locker.
- Arrange for a family member or friend to drive you home.
- Pick up any valuables and/or medications that have been deposited in the Hospital’s safe. These can be acquired by bringing your Valuables Receipt to the Cashier’s Office.
- Stop at the admitting desk before leaving the Hospital.
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Patient Satisfaction Survey
Within a week of your discharge, you may receive a survey in the mail asking you to comment on your hospital stay. Our staff would be most appreciative if you would complete and return this survey. Your comments are important to us, as they provide us an opportunity to reflect on the experiences of our patients. Sometimes we find that there is something we could have done to make the patient’s experience better. Other times we may learn of specific staff members who deserve recognition.
If you do not receive a survey or if you prefer to speak directly with a representative of our Patient Relations Department, please call (860) 684-8484. We value your opinion.
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