Things to Know During Your Hospital Stay
Please use this guide as a resource during your stay, and don’t hesitate to talk with your care team if you have any questions or concerns about your care.
- Advance Directives
- Alarms
- Cleaning
- Hourly Rounding
- Infection Prevention
- Internet
- Interpretation Services
- Patient Identification
- Rapid Response
- Security
- Smoke-Free Campus
- Telephone
- Television
- Valuables & Personal Items
- Whiteboard
Advance Directives
An advance directive (living will or durable power of attorney) gives you a voice in decisions about your medical care when you are unconscious or too ill to communicate. As long as you are able to express your own decisions, your advance directive is not used and you can accept or refuse any medical treatment. But if you become seriously ill, you may lose the ability to participate in decisions about your treatment and the advance directive will become effective.
You don’t have to have an advance directive, but we encourage all patients to consider creating a living will. We realize the decisions you will make for an advance directive are very difficult. Our staff are here to assist and support you and your family through this difficult part of a hospitalization. Healthcare providers, nurses, social workers, and our chaplain are available to discuss these decisions with you, your legally authorized representative, and/or your loved ones.
Federal law requires UK St. Claire to ask each patient at the time of admission whether or not the patient has signed an advance directive.
Alarms
During your stay, you may hear several different beeps and buzzes in your room such as bed alarms, heart monitors, or medication pumps. Don’t worry if you hear an alarm in your room. For your safety, please do not attempt to turn the alarm off yourself. If the alarm continues for several minutes, push your call button for assistance.
Cleaning
Patient rooms are routinely cleaned and disinfected. If you find your room requires cleaning during your stay, please notify a member of your care team.
Hourly Rounding
A member of your care team will be around to check on you every hour during the day, and every two hours at night. We understand how important rest is to your recovery, so if you're resting comfortably during our rounds, we will do our very best not to wake you. If you need additional help at any time, please use your call button to reach a member of your care team.
Infection Prevention
Prevent the spread of infection by washing your hands frequently using soap and water or using an alcohol-based sanitizer. Alcohol-based sanitizer is available in every patient room.
Internet
Free wireless Internet is available. Look for “SCH-GUEST” on your device and agree to the terms of service for access.
Interpretation Services - 606.776.3318
St. Claire provides face-to-face language and sign language interpretation through Stratus video remote interpretation (VRI).
Patient Identification
When you arrive, you will receive a wristband with your name, date of birth,
and additional identifying
information that you will wear at all times during your stay. Before we
administer medication or provide any treatment, we will check or scan
your wristband and ask you to verify your name and date of birth.
Rapid Response
Sometimes a patient’s condition suddenly gets worse and that could be a sign of a life-threatening medical emergency. Anyone who notices a sudden change in your condition can call for a “Rapid Response.” The advanced trained personnel on the rapid response team will assess your condition and begin any necessary treatments.
Security
Security can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To call from a hospital phone, press “9” then dial 783.6767.
Smoke-Free Campus
Smoking of all kinds including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, pipes, and vape pens, and the use of smokeless tobacco is prohibited on all properties owned and leased by SCH, including buildings, parking lots, sidewalks, green spaces, and vehicles on SCH properties.
Telephone
A bedside phone for local calls is available in most rooms. To place a call from a patient room, including calls within the hospital, press “9” followed by the number. Your family and friends can reach your bedside phone by calling 606.783.6500 and following the menu options.
Television
Cable TV is offered in patient rooms. Ask your nurse for a channel guide.
Valuables & Personal Items
We recommend you send all valuables home when you are admitted. If that isn’t an option, ask your nurse to place your valuables in the hospital safe. UK St. Claire is not responsible for, nor does it assume responsibility for, the loss, theft, or damage of money, jewelry, glasses, dentures, hearing aids, documents, clothing, or other items of personal property unless deposited in the hospital safe for safekeeping. If you lose an item of value during your stay, please contact the nurse manager for assistance.
Whiteboard
Your nurse will use the whiteboard in your room to write the names of those who will be caring for you during each shift. You can also use this board to communicate with your care team.
