Patient Safety: Here’s How You Can Help The Interlake-Eastern RHA is committed to delivering quality and safe care through a patient and family centred experience. Patient and family centred care means that patients and families are engaged in their health care which adds to the safety of patients. Here is how you and your family can be involved in your safety during your admission to this facility:
Medication Safety Keep a list of all the medications you are taking. This includes traditional medicine, over-the-counter medicines (non-prescription), vitamins and herbs. Bring your medication list and all the medicines you take to the hospital. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have allergies to any medications, food or anything else.
Patient Identification Patient identification is important to prevent errors and ensure that intended treatments and/or procedures are provided to the correct patient. Please confirm your name, date of birth and all identification information on your paperwork. During your hospital stay, staff will ask both your name and your birth date often.
Prevention of Falls Ask your doctor or nurse if you have any risk factors that may potentially lead to a fall and what you can do to reduce your risk of falling. Tell your nurse or doctor if you feel dizzy or drowsy. Be aware of your surroundings. Wet floors, spills or equipment may cause you to slip or fall.
Ask Questions Understand your health problem, the treatment plan and what you can do to improve your health. Ask questions if you do not understand what is being said. If you think of questions after speaking to someone, write them down to ask later. When you meet with your health-care provider, have someone with you to listen and help you understand.
Cough/Sneeze Etiquette & Hand Washing Help stop the spread of infection. Covering your mouth with your hands when you cough or sneeze is no longer the correct thing to do since it can spread germs. Sneeze and cough into the crook of your elbow – ask our staff to show you how. Ask your health-care providers if they have washed or sanitized their hands and please clean your hands often too.
Selkirk Regional Health Centre
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