What should you know when you are hospitalized?

There are many different types of staff that work in a hospital, including:

1. Doctors: These are medical professionals who diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries. They may specialize in a particular area of medicine, such as surgery, pediatrics, or internal medicine.
2. Nurses: Nurses provide care for patients and work closely with doctors to plan and coordinate treatment. They may work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes.
3. Therapists: These professionals provide rehabilitation services to help patients recover from injuries or illnesses. They may include physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language therapists.
4. Technicians: Technicians assist doctors and nurses with diagnostic tests and medical procedures. They may specialize in areas such as radiology, laboratory, or respiratory care.
5. Support staff: Hospital support staff may include administrative staff, housekeeping staff, dietary staff, and security staff. These individuals help to keep the hospital running smoothly by providing various services and support. A person takes care of guest relations. If you have an issue while getting treated in the hospital, you should ask for Guest Relations information.
6. Specialists: Specialists are medical professionals who have advanced training in a particular area of medicine, such as cardiology, oncology, or neurology. They may work in a hospital setting or in a private practice.

Among doctors, there will be one doctor responsible for your care and is the one who discharges you once you are medically ready. It’s usually a Hospitalist.

Social Worker is a person who helps the patients discharges to nursing homes, shelters, rehabs etc.

Case manager is a person who helps with home discharges. Setting up home iv antibiotics, hospital beds, walkers, oxygen etc.

Unit secretary is the person who coordinates on the floor. Receiving phone calls from family members, calling specialists offices to see the patient if hospitalist requests for one etc.

When you get admitted to a hospital, Home Medications will be changed as some are Non-Formulary. All your home medications may not be available in any hospital. They give you substitutes.

If you want to talk to the hospitalist doctor [your primary doctor=attending doctor], family members can call the hospital floor or RN and request for a call back from the attending physician and give your cell number.

Be very polite in the hospital. Staff likes nice patients and will do everything to help you. 

If you are very stable, you can request that your sleep be not disturbed in the middle of the night. Ask the doctor or the nurse in the daytime if you are stable enough to make that request for the night. 

If you are visiting a patient in the hospital and notice that your loved one who is admitted does not look good, immediately alert the nurse or any staff. Don’t assume that the doctors and nurses know the patients’ condition. Sometimes, the patient’s condition can change quickly and there may be delay before the staff can find it out. 

If you forget to ask a question when the doctor comes to see you in the room, you can always request the nurse to send a text to the doctor with your question or if you can wait for the next day, write it on a notepad so you won’t forget. Most times, you will get the answer in a few minutes. 

If you don’t like the doctor who is taking care of you for whatever reason, you can always politely ask your nurse if you can have a different doctor. Most times, they will find a new doctor for you. 

If you get admitted to a teaching hospital on July 1st, new residents/physicians starting training may see you. It’s just a fact. Use this info however you want to. 

Bring medications for your special conditions e.g. Cancer chemotherapy pills. Hospitals most likely won’t have them.

Advanced Dental services are not present in the hospital. Sometimes, ENT services are also not available in some hospitals.