What to Expect
FOR OUR PATIENTS
Your recovery is much more comfortable at home, and as our patient, it is our goal to get you there. We start planning for your discharge on the first day of your stay, and it remains our priority throughout your time with us.
Nursing and clinical care team members will visit you throughout the day to make sure you are comfortable and that all of your care needs are met; we call this“ hourly rounding”. We will round on you once an hour during waking hours and every two hours during the night to ask about your pain, assist you to the restroom, and make sure you have everything you need within reach.
At shift change, our nursing units participate in“ bedside shift report” to ensure good communication between team members regarding your continued care. The nurse going off duty shares important information with you and your care partner and with the nurse coming on duty for a seamless transition.
Rounding and bedside shift report are great opportunities for you and your care partner to speak up and be involved. Please ask questions, let us know about your pain, and tell us what we can do better if we are not exceeding your expectations.
You and your loved ones are important members of the care team here at UAB Medicine. Here’ s how you can be involved in our health care partnership.
Your Role
• Appoint a care partner or support person. Let us know who they are and how you want them to be involved. UAB Medicine recognizes that your support person may be a spouse, adult child, close friend, partner, or significant other, regardless of gender.
• Provide complete and accurate information about your medical history, conditions, current medications, and allergies.
• Ask any questions you have, speak up if something is unclear, and keep asking until you understand.
• Listen and take notes when the risks, benefits, and alternatives of any procedure are explained.
• Remember, you have rights as a patient, including the right to refuse treatment.
• If you are having surgery, participate in marking your surgical site.
Care Partner & Family’ s Role
• Spend time with your loved one; most areas allow 24 / 7 visitation unless it interferes with patient care or safety.
• Appoint a representative to be our point of contact who can relay information to others.
• Be there when the care team rounds and ask questions.
• Be there during the discharge process. You will be your loved one’ s caregiver when you go home. It’ s crucial that you understand how to care for them, symptoms to look for, and medications they will take.
• Show your loved one care and attention to help their recovery.
• Do not visit if you are sick.
Your Care Team
Because UAB Hospital is a teaching hospital, a team of health care providers will take care of you, including doctors, specialists, nurses, medical students and residents, and advanced practice providers. Each of them wears a different color depending on their role and is required to wear a photo ID badge that displays their name and title. They are expected to introduce themselves and explain their role in your care and what you can expect. The communication board in your room will be updated daily with the names of your care team members and your patient goals.
4 Patient & Visitor Guide