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Patient Safety

At DRDH, we encourage patients and their families to be actively involved in the care they receive. Please ask questions – doing so may help you to better understand:

  • A treatment or procedure being suggested, and the related risks, benefits and alternatives.
  • A treatment or procedure you have received, and the outcomes
  • What prescriptions you will need to fill
  • What symptoms and side affects you should watch for, and who to call if something is not right.
  • When you can resume regular activities


Patient Identification

All patients admitted into the hospital will receive an identification wristband with their name on it. The ID band must be worn at all times during your hospital stay. Your healthcare team will check your wristband often and ask for your name. This practice is a proven way to improve patient safety and ensure the right care is being delivered to the right person.


Medication Management

It is important for you to know the reason for all your medication and to have written information about your prescriptions and when to take your medication.


Please bring your current medications in the original, labelled packaging when coming to the hospital for an appointment or the Emergency Department.


Medications include prescriptions, vitamins, herbal products, creams, inhalers, eye drops, ear drops, nose sprays and any over-the-counter medications.


If you are unable to bring your medications with you, please bring a list that includes the mediation name, dose and how often you take each medications.


Pain Management

People sometimes think they have to put up with severe pain. This is not the case. We want to work with you to control your pain and prevent it from getting worse. When your pain is controlled, you will heal faster, and feel better sooner. Please talk to your healthcare team and we will work with you to put the best plan in place.

 

Fire Safety

During your hospital stay, you may hear an overhead page for one of our regular fire drills. When you hear the fire alarm, please return to your room or follow the direction of staff if you are away from the unit. We will inform you should any action become necessary.


Infection prevention and control

Good hand hygiene is the single most important way for patients, visitors and staff to control the spread of germs.


At DRDH, our staff and physicians work hard to protect you from infection. You should expect staff and physicians to clean their hands before and after providing you care. We encourage you to ask them if they have cleaned their hands or to remind them if they have not.


You may also see staff and physicians wearing protective equipment (e.g. gown, mask, gloves) when caring for certain patients. These are precautions that will protect the patient and others from infectious diseases.


Your Role in Reducing the Spread of Infectious Diseases

As patients and/or visitors you can:

  • Clean your hands often during your hospital stay and/or visit:
  • When you enter or exit the hospital
  • Before and after contact with a patient (family member or friend)
  • Before and after eating and drinking
  • After using the washroom
  • After covering a sneeze or cough
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing and sneezing, then throw away the tissue and clean your hands. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow and clean your hands
  • If you are not feeling well, have a cough or cold, please delay your visit to the hospital until the illness has passed.
  • If you or your loved one are in “isolation” find out what isolation means and what you should expect from the hospital staff or visitors (e.g. wearing gloves, gown, and mask).
  • Do not bring many belongings into the hospital. If your bed area becomes too cluttered, it is difficult for the Environmental Services staff to clean and disinfect to prevent the spread of germs.
  • For more information ask your healthcare team for related information sheets.