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Being a partner in your care helps you get the best care possible in the hospital. Taking part in nurse bedside shift reports is one way you can be a partner. You also can invite a family member or friend to take part with you.

WHAT IS A NURSE BEDSIDE SHIFT REPORT?

Nurse bedside shift report is when the nurses changing shifts (going off and coming on duty) meet by your bedside to talk about your care. At Bakersfield Heart Hospital, we want you to be involved in shift changes to make sure you get high-quality care. This gives you a chance to meet the nurse taking over your care, ask questions and share important information with your nurses. Nurse bedside shift report does not replace the conversations you have with your doctor. You also can invite a family member or friend to stay during nurse bedside shift report. We will only talk about your health with others when you say it is okay.

WHEN IS NURSE BEDSIDE SHIFT REPORT?

Nurse bedside shift report happens every day from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. It usually lasts a few minutes.

(Continued) WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT?

During nurse bedside shift report, the nurses going off and coming on duty will: • Introduce themselves to you and anyone with you. The nurse coming on duty will write his or her name and phone number on the whiteboard in your room. • Invite you to take part in the nurse bedside shift report. You should decide who else can take part with you. • Talk with you about your health, including the reason you are in the hospital and what is going on with your care. The nurses will look at your medical chart. • Check the medicines you are taking. The nurses will look at your IVs, injuries and bandages. They also will follow up on any tests that were done or lab work that was ordered. • Ask you what could have gone better during the last shift and what you hope to do during the next shift. For example, you may want to get out of bed or just sleep. The nurse will try to help you meet this goal. • Encourage you to ask questions and share your concerns. If needed, the nurse coming on duty may come back after the bedside shift report to spend more time discussing your concerns.

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

• Listen. You are an important part of the healthcare team. We want to make sure you have complete and timely information about your care. • Speak up. If you have questions or concerns, nurse bedside shift report is the perfect time to raise them. • Ask questions if something is confusing. If the nurses use any words or share any information you don’t understand, feel free to ask them to explain it.

QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS?

Bakersfield Heart Hospital wants to make sure you get the best care possible. If you have any concerns about the quality or safety of your care during your hospital stay, please let your nurse or doctor know. If you have any questions or concerns, or if your nurse bedside shift report does not happen, please ask to speak to the charge nurse.

7 WAYS TO TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR CARE

Speak up. Ask questions and voice concerns. It’s your body, and you have the right to know. Pay Attention. Always double check that you are getting the right treatments and medicines from the right hospital staff. Educate Yourself. Learn about your medical condition, tests and treatment options so you know why following your care plan is so important. Find a support person. Pick someone to help speak up for your care and needs during your stay. Know your meds. Understand what your medicines treat, why you need them and how to take them for the best results. Check Before You Go. Make an informed decision when selecting additional healthcare services. Choose only accredited providers who meet patient safety and quality standards. Go to www.qualitycheck.org to learn more. Participate in Your Care. You are the center of your healthcare team. Make sure you know what’s happening every step of the way - from admission through discharge.

PATIENT EXPERIENCE

PATIENT EXPERIENCE COORDINATOR

Patient Experience is providing the right care all the time for every patient. Bakersfield Heart Hospital has Patient Experience Coordinators to assist patients and their families with questions and concerns about their care during their stay. Our Patient Experience Coordinators will maintain standards of high quality care for everyone and ensure that the needs of patients are met by making sure that patient’s rights are respected. Our community is important and our patients are our priority. Patients and their family members or care providers often have questions or concerns about care. Our Patient Experience Coordinators are always available to help.

PATIENT NAVIGATOR

The Patient Navigator role is a unique collaboration between the cardiovascular care team, patients and families to manage the stress of hospitalization for surgical procedures. Our Navigator will address concerns regarding pre and postop care. We believe a quality patient experience is providing the best clinical care and ensuring patients’ questions are answered. Everyone plays an important role in preventing the spread of infections. You can help by following these guidelines: • WASH YOUR HANDS AND REMIND OTHERS TO CLEAN THEIR HANDS. This is the single most important infection control measure you can use. Using soap and warm water, rub your hands vigorously for at least 15 seconds. If your hands are not obviously dirty, you may clean them with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. 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 and after you use the bathroom. • Health care providers are required to wash or sanitize their hands before and after seeing a patient. Your visitors should wash or sanitize their hands as well. • Health care providers should wear gloves when they perform tasks such as drawing blood or touching wounds or body fluids. Staff will welcome your reminder to clean their hands or wear gloves.

PREVENT THE SPREAD OF RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS

Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing by using tissues or the bend of your elbow. Both tissues and masks are available upon request. Please use these if you have a runny nose, sneeze or cough. Please remember to wash your hands, especially after you sneeze, cough or use a tissue.

VACCINATION

Flu and pneumonia can be especially dangerous to hospitalized patients. Appropriate vaccination is the most effective way to prevent many illnesses and deaths. The best way to prevent getting the flu and spreading it to others is to receive a flu shot every year. Pneumococcal vaccine to prevent certain types of pneumonia is recommended for adults over 65, all adults over 19 who smoke or have asthma and people with chronic disease or condition that affects the immune system. If friends or family members have a cold or don’t feel well, ask them not to visit the hospital.

ISOLATION PRECAUTIONS

Patients in the hospital sometimes have infections that can be spread to others. These patients are placed in “isolation.” Using gloves, gowns, and masks may be necessary to enter the room of the patient in isolation. An instruction card on the door will inform you if these precautions are necessary. Your nurse or physician will provide you with additional information about isolation precautions as necessary.

FLOWERS

Flowers may cause allergic reactions and are a possible source of infection. Therefore, if patients are in isolation, in the Critical Care Unit (CCU), or are identified to be at risk for allergic reactions or infection, flowers will be kept at the nurse’s station. Flowers may be delivered to patient rooms in the Patient Care Unit (PCU) as long as the patient’s condition allows.