Guide to the Canberra Hospital Call 1 131 450 for a free IT’S OK TO ASK Interpreter ACT Health acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land we walk upon today, the Ngunnawal people and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and surrounding region. Accessibility The ACT Government is committed to making its information, services, events and venues as accessible as possible. If you have difficulty reading a standard printed document and would like to receive this publication in an alternative format such as large print, please phone 13 22 81 or email [email protected] If English is not your first language and you require the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS), please call 13 14 50. If you are Deaf, or have a speech or hearing impairment and need the teletypewriter service, please phone 13 36 77 and ask for 13 22 81. For speak and listen users, please phone 1300 555 727 and ask for 13 22 81. For more information on these services visit http://www.relayservice.com.au © Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, March 2015 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the Territory Records Office, Community and Infrastructure Services, Territory and Municipal Services, ACT Government, GPO Box 158, Canberra City ACT 2601. Enquiries about this publication should be directed to ACT Government Health Directorate, Communications and Marketing Unit, GPO Box 825 Canberra City ACT 2601 or email: [email protected] www.health.act.gov.au | www.act.gov.au Enquiries: Canberra 13ACT1 or 132281 | Publication No: STN39139 Feedback on this guide can be sent to: Standard 2 Committee, Building 6, Level 2 Canberra Hospital or email [email protected] 2 Call 131 450 IT’S OK TO ASK for a free Interpreter Contents Welcome to Canberra Hospital and Health Services 4 Unplanned arrival to hospital 4 Planning to come to Hospital 4 Before you leave home: 4 Bring with you: 5 Please don’t bring to hospital: 5 Arriving at the hospital? 6 Your Rights 6 Informed Consent 7 Good questions to ask 8 Privacy 8 Advanced care plans 9 Health Attorneys 10 Feedback and how to give it 10 Carer rights/issues 10 Staying Safe 11 What everyone needs to know 11 Call and Respond Early (CARE) Program for Patient Safety 11 Patient Identification 12 Medication Safety 12 Preventing infections 12 Preventing Falls 12 Preventing Pressure Injury (Bed Sores) 13 Preventing Blood Clots 13 Patient Lifting Equipment 14 Fire and Emergency 14 Safe sleeping for babies: 14 The Hospital - Who’s who? 14 Medical staff 14 Nursing and Midwifery Staff 14 Allied Health Staff 15 Non-Clinical Staff 16 Discharge Planning (When you leave) 17 After you go home 19 Key Contacts 20 Hospital Facilities 23 MY NOTES 24 DISCHARGE JOURNAL 25 INDEX TO GUIDE 26 Call 3 131 450 for a free IT’S OK TO ASK Interpreter Welcome to Canberra Hospital and Health Services. Coming to hospital can be a worrying time for many people. We will do our best to ensure your stay is as comfortable as possible and we are committed to providing high quality, patient centred care. Canberra Hospital is the region’s major public hospital, providing specialist and acute care to more than 500,000 people. Canberra Hospital is a tertiary level health facility, and a teaching hospital of the Australian National University (ANU) medical school and the University of Canberra. The ACT Health’s vision is good health for all, and our values are: • Care • Excellence • Collaboration • Integrity. We seek to demonstrate these values through our work with our patients, consumers, partners, the community and the team we work with. By doing so, we aim to provide healthcare and health related services throughout all areas that meet the needs and expectations of our community. Please use this information guide to assist you when receiving care overnight in this hospital. We welcome feedback on how things could be done better as this helps us to improve. Positive feedback is also welcome. For information on how to provide feedback please see Page 10. The visiting hours are from 06:00 am to 9:00 pm.Family member/caregiver of a child are encouraged to stay as are partners/family members of birthing mothers. Visiting hours in the Adult Mental Health Unit are based on their therapeutic program and differ from these. The Building 7 Withdrawal Unit have no visiting times. Unplanned arrival to hospital Your hospital admission may not have been planned. You may have been admitted through the Emergency Department, from a clinic or transferred here from another hospital or doctors office. You will not have had the opportunity to do all the planning we will talk about in this guide. Please talk to your family and friends to assist in what needs to be done, and our staff are also here to assist. Please let us know if there are things you are unsure of or need some help to organise. So take the time now to read the section on coming to hospital or if you are not feeling up to it, have your family do this for you. Planning to come to Hospital If you are coming to hospital as a planned admission you should receive a letter letting you know what you need to do and the date and time of your admission. If you or your family need an interpreter, please tell staff as soon as you can. 131 450 If you are a carer for someone, and need help to find a substitute carer you can contact Carers ACT on 1800242636 to discuss options. Before you leave home: • Organise care of your pets • Organise someone to collect your mail or contact Australia Post to have them hold your mail (a fee is charged) • Pay bills • Pre-cook and freeze meals for when you leave hospital and go home • Arrange for cleaning and gardening (or have someone do it for you). • Cancel any regular deliveries, such as the newspaper • If you have any existing care providers coming to your home, let them know your plans. 4 Call 131 450 IT’S OK TO ASK for a free Interpreter Bring with you: • Your admission letter if you have one • All your medications in their packets including tablets/capsules, mixtures, inhalers/puffers, injections, patches, creams/ ointments, vitamins, herbal or alternative medicines and over the counter medications. If you use a CPAP machine, bring that too and make sure your name is on it. • All your Xrays, CT scans, Ultrasound scans and MRIs relating to your CURRENT condition • Medicare Card • Details for any of the following if they apply to you: – Health Care Fund – Veterans Affairs – Workers Compensation Claim/Third Party Insurance or claim information – If you are a non Australian resident you will need your passport, visa, insurance and proof of address • Name and address of your General Practitioner (GP) or General Practice that you attend • Name and phone numbers for your next of kin or carer • The original of your Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) or Statement of Choices (if you have one). Ask staff to photocopy this and place it in your medical records. • If you have guardianship documents please bring these as well • Glasses and hearing aids if you use them, and a container labelled with your name to store them in • A container for your dentures if you have them, labelled with your name. • Mobility aid if you use one • Toiletries • Night Wear, dressing gown and footwear with non slip soles if you are staying overnight. If you take aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs or other blood thinners check with your doctor if you need to stop taking them. If you require any specialist equipment while in hospital, please let us know so we can organise this. Examples can include pressure care mattresses, communication devices and weight rated equipment. Please advise staff when you arrive if you wish to bring your own food into the hospital or if you have special dietary needs. Please don’t bring to hospital: • Valuables • too much clothing • alcohol • tobacco products. The hospital does not accept liability if they are lost or damaged, and there is limited storage by each bed. The hospital is SMOKE FREE. Smoking is not allowed in any hospital building or on the hospital grounds. Free nicotine patches are available while you are in hospital; please ask staff if you need them. The QUIT LINE is 131848. Call 5 131 450 for a free IT’S OK TO ASK Interpreter When preparing to come to hospital think about when you will be going home again. Some of the things to think about are: • How will I get home? Can you get help from family or friends or do you need other help? Speak to staff about your transport needs. • Will I need extra support from family/friends after I go home? You may need help with driving, shopping, transport, cleaning, showering etc. If you live alone you may want a family member or friend to stay with you when you first go home. • If you will need extra support at home, please let the treating team know as soon as possible. • If your admission is planned, talk to your GP or Specialist about the likely impact of any surgery or procedure and the expected length of stay in hospital. They will tell you what to expect and any limitations to daily activities, such as lifting, driving or remaining alone.