Consumer Tips for Patient Safety

Consumer Tips for Patient Safety

North Memorial is committed to providing you with a safe health care environment. Patient safety is integrated into all activities of the organization. Everyone has a role in making our health care system safer - even you - our patients and families. It is your responsibility as a patient to become an active and informed member of the health care team. We encourage you to review your responsibilities and become actively involved in helping us to ensure your safety.

Medication Lists

To assist your doctor or nurse, you should take the following steps with regard to your medications:
  • Keep a list of all the medicines you take and tell your doctor or nurse about them. Include information about over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen and dietary supplements like vitamins and herbals.
  • Tell your doctor or nurse about any drug allergies you have or allergies to latex or food. If you have allergies to medicine, latex or food, make sure they are listed on your red allergy wristband to alert your caregivers to your special needs.
  • Ask about the medicine that is ordered for you. Make sure you understand what it is for, possible side effects and what foods or other things to avoid while taking this medicine.
  • If a medicine does not look familiar to you, ask about it before you take it.
  • After discharge when you get your medicines, read the labels, including warnings. Make sure it is what the doctor ordered for you, and that you know how to take it and store it.

Patient Advocacy

Upon admission, you will receive a Patients' Bill of Rights which you will want to read thoroughly. If you or a family member have a concern related to these rights, we want to know about it while you are here so that every attempt can be made to resolve your concern as quickly as possible. If a staff member on your unit cannot resolve your concern, you may contact the Patient Representative to file a formal grievance.

A Patient Representative is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by calling (763) 520-7150. At all other times, you may call the operator at (763) 520-5200 and ask to speak with the Administrative Manager. Examples include issues in which a clinical outcome is compromised by the facility because of poor image quality, failure to send a report to the referring physician within 30 days or use of unqualified personnel. The chairperson of the Disability and Access Committee will be notified if the complaint is regarding discrimination involving a person with a disability.

Fall Prevention

Keeping you safe during your hospital stay includes preventing falls that might occur. When you come to the hospital, your nurse will determine if you are at increased risk of injury and require additional safety precautions. If so, you will wear a green wristband to alert your health care team to your special needs. Tell your nurse if you have a recent history of falls, balance problems, dizziness or difficulty walking. Let us know if you use a walking device such as a walker or cane. Let us know if you have vision or hearing problems or difficulty communicating. For example, tell your nurse if you wear a hearing aid, glasses or need special lighting at night.
Fall prevention tips:

  • Use the nurse call system whenever you need assistance.
  • Signals are located at the bedside, in the bathrooms, and in the shower and tub rooms.
  • Get in and out of bed with assistance. Side rails on your bed may be in the raised position (up) for safety.
  • Call for help to get up, to go to the bathroom or when using the bedside commode.
  • Wear non-skid slippers or shoes when you are out of bed.
  • Immediately report any spills or slippery areas on the floor.
  • Remain in your room and avoid the hallway while the floor is being cleaned. If you must be in the hallway during cleaning, use extreme caution when walking around vacuum cleaners and cords.

Family Involvement

Becoming an active member of the health care team is the most important way that you can help get the best possible care. The hospital expects you and your family to be reasonable and responsible members of the team. In addition to your rights as a patient, you and your family have certain responsibilities as well. Responsibilities include at least the following:
  • Share accurate and complete information about your present and past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters relating to your health.
  • Report perceived risks in your care and unexpected changes in your condition.
  • Report perceived or identified safety issues related to your care or the physical environment.
  • Make sure you understand what you have been told about your care or what you are expected to do regarding your care. If anything is not clear, speak up and ask questions.
  • Make sure you are involved in decisions regarding your medical care. Know which doctor is in charge of your care. Learn as much as you can about your treatment plan. If something looks wrong, please let us know.
  • Follow your treatment plan and the instructions provided by your doctors, nurses and other health professionals.
  • Express your concerns about your ability to follow through with the proposed care, service or treatment plan. You are responsible for understanding the consequences of not following the proposed course.
  • Accept responsibility for your actions should you refuse treatment or not follow your doctor's orders.
  • Follow hospital rules and policies concerning patient care and patient and visitor conduct.
  • Meet the financial obligations agreed to with the hospital as promptly as possible.
  • Be considerate of other patients by helping to control noise and respecting others' privacy and property.
  • Show respect and consideration of the hospital's personnel and property.
  • Provide a copy of your current health care directive.

We encourage you to take charge of your responsibilities and become actively involved in helping us to help you get better.

Medical Emergency Team (MET)

North Memorial Medical Emergency Team (MET) is a team of clinicians who bring critical care expertise to the bedside of a patients experiencing a change in condition. The MET also mentors staff in recognition and response to changes in condition. Hospitals that have instituted these teams have experienced up to a 50 percent reduction in CPRs outside of critical care and significant reductions in mortality. The team focuses on patients who experience changes in condition which are not immediately life-threatening, but are significant, and if left untreated may result in further deterioration.

Hand Hygiene

Hand washing is the single most important thing we can do to prevent infection. Patients, family members and caregivers should wash hands frequently. If you notice that someone caring for you has not washed his or her hands, please remind them to do so.