Safety

Bedside Call Button/Hospital Bed

We ask that you help us prevent accidents by using your bedside call button whenever you need assistance. Please note: your bed is equipped with side rails to prevent falls. These are for your safety, so please leave them in the position the staff member has placed them.

Identification Badges

All KMC employees and volunteers are required to wear photo identification badges. If you are approached by anyone representing themselves as being affiliated with the hospital and if they are not wearing their badge with their photo and name facing you, ask to see their badge.

Managing Pain

The goal of pain management is prevention and early pain treatment. We encourage patients to ask for pain relief early, rather than waiting until the pain is severe. Education will be provided to you and/or your family to know how and when to report pain. Your pain levels will be regularly monitored during your hospital stay.

Whether you are an inpatient, outpatient or Emergency Department patient, your pain level will be assessed using one of the three "pain scales":

• Looking at drawings of faces from a smiling face to a crying face to rate your pain from 0-5.
• Behavior assessment
• Descriptive wording scale

Medications

If you are hospitalized, you or your family member should bring a record of all medications you are currently taking and give the information to your doctor or nurse.

• "All medications" include prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and other supplements.
• If you have purchased medications in Mexico or have brought medications from Canada, please include this information as well.
• Please include the name of the medication, dosage, and how often you take the medicine each day.

If any medication is required during your hospital stay, your doctor will prescribe it for you and the hospital pharmacy will give you the amounts you need. This will help you receive the proper medicine at the proper time and help your doctor to evaluate the compatibility and appropriateness of your medication.

When you return home, remember about medicines:

• Medicines deteriorate in warm, damp places. Store your medicines in a cool, dry place. Do not store any medications in your bathroom.
• Put your medications where children cannot reach them.
• Keep you medicines in their original container
• Check the expiration date. Flush old medicines down the toilet.
• Do not take medications offered by other people or family members. What is good for your mother, brother, cousin or sister may be harmful to you.

Safety Drills

Drills are held periodically to ensure that all staff knows what procedures to follow in the event of an emergency situation. If there is an actual alarm, your nurse will assist you in seeking proper shelter.

Personal Items

KMC does not assume responsibility for loss or damage to valuables, clothing, or other personal items of patients or visitors. Please leave your jewelry, money, and other valuables at home or send them home with a member of your family. If this is not possible, contact your nurse who will have a security guard pick up your valuables and place them in the safe. You will be given a receipt to pick up your personal items upon discharge. KMC Security maintains a lost and found. Dial "0" for the hospital operator who will contact a security officer for you.

Careful Not to Lose

The following items are the most often lost by patients. Please do not wrap these items in facial tissue, washcloths, or towels or leave them on your meal tray or in your bed. If you wear dentures, ask your nurse for a special denture container to keep in your bedside table:

• Contact Lenses
• Hearing Aids
• Eyeglasses
• Dentures

Cellular Phones

The use of cellular phones may interfere with critical care equipment and the activation of alarm systems. Please turn off your cell phone in patient rooms or around hospital equipment. You may use your cell phones in waiting areas, hallways and the cafeteria.You may be reminded and asked to turn off your phone by a hospital employee; please do so immediately. Remember this is for the patients' safety.

Handguns

State law prohibits carrying a firearm (such as a gun/shotgun) on hospital premises.

Services For The Disabled

Certain auxiliary aids are available in the hospital for patient use. Translation services are also available. The patient or family member's responsibility is to ask the nurse for assistance in obtaining the following:

• For the visually impaired: Staff to communicate the contents of written materials by reading them out loud
• For the hearing impaired: Telecommunication device for the deaf (TTY/TDD), closed captions on your hospital room TV and writing materials
• For the mentally/physically impaired: Wheelchairs, crutches, canes, or walkers
• For the speech impaired: Pencil, paper and telecommunications device for the deaf (TTY/TDD)

Patient Education

It is important that you have sufficient information about the nature of your illness, surgical treatment procedures and medical equipment. If you have questions or need some general information, please ask your nurse or doctor.

Addressing Safety Concerns
If you have a concern about patient care and safety in the hospital, please contact your doctor or nurse. If you feel your concern about patient care and safety has not been addressed, please contact Knapp Medical Center Administration at 956-969-5117. If you feel the hospital cannot resolve these concerns, please contact: