What to Expect While in the Hospital
Your Hospital Team
The doctor who admits you is responsible for directing your care while you are in the hospital. Your doctor, as the coordinator of your treatment program, should be consulted if you have questions about your illness.
The Nursing Staff
Twenty-four-hour nursing care is provided by a team of professional registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and patient care technicians. A Nurse Director is responsible for directing and coordinating nursing care on each unit. Please feel free to contact your nurse or the Nurse Director if you have questions or concerns.
Pastoral Services
In addition to the physical and emotional needs, Lakeview Medical Center believes that total patient care demand attention to the spiritual needs of each patient. Your priest, minister, or rabbi is always welcome to visit while you are here.
Dietitians
The hospital maintains a staff of registered dietitians to meet your dietary needs during your stay. If you have questions about your meals or diet, call ext. 6108.
Nurse Discharge Planner/Social Worker
The Nurse Discharge Planner is available to assist patients and families with providing options for their care and needs upon discharge. Social Workers are available to help patients and family members with discharge planning and to deal with social, emotional and financial problems that relate to sickness, hospitalization, rehabilitation and long-term illness.
Housekeeping, Maintenance, and Laundry
We hope your accommodations meet your expectations throughout your stay here. If we can serve you in any other way, or if you have comments or suggestions, please call our "Room Accommodations Hotline” at ext.6357.
Volunteers
Volunteers supplement the services of the hospital staff in many ways and can be identified by their purple smocks and nametags.
Other Personnel
During your stay you may be visited by many other health care professionals, including personnel from the Laboratory and Radiology departments and therapists from the Physical and Occupational Therapy departments. In addition, the Lakeview Medical Center family includes many behind-the-scenes workers, such as accountants, engineers, secretaries, food service workers, and others who contribute greatly toward you well-being while you are here.
Patient Accommodations
Your Room
Private (single bed) and semiprivate (two bed) rooms are available. Medical insurance may not cover the full cost of a private room.
Meals
Wholesome, nourishing, and well-balanced meals are an important part of your treatment and recovery. Lakeview Medical Center makes every effort to provide nutritious meals prepared according to your doctor's orders. Patients are served breakfast between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m.; lunch between 11:30 a.m. and 12 p.m.; and supper between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Occasionally, your meal may be delayed if you are scheduled for a special test or treatment. Whenever possible, you will be served after your examination or test.
Leaving the Unit
In the event that you want to leave the unit, please check first at the nurses' station to make sure your doctor has given approval and to let the staff know where you may be reached.
Telephones
Telephones are provided in each room, except in the Critical Care Unit. Long-distance calls cannot be charged to your room. You can make a credit card call or charge a long distance call back to your home number.
Free Wireless Internet Access
Lakeview Medical Center understands
that communicating with friends and family while you are in the
hospital, or to be in touch with the workplace, can be
invaluable. Therefore, Lakeview Medical Center, in its ongoing
effort to provide outstanding care and services for its patients
and their families, now offers public high-speed wireless
internet access. To use this public access, you must bring your
personal laptop with a wireless (WiFi) adapter.
Television
Color television sets are provided free of charge in each room.
Patient Services
Valuables
Patients are asked not to bring items of value to the hospital. If you do bring a valuable item, it should be deposited in the safe in the Admissions Office. You will be given a written receipt for all items, which must be presented when you withdraw them. The hospital does not accept responsibility for items of value unless they are deposited in the safe. If you lose something, please notify your nurse immediately, and we will make every effort to help you find it.
Mail
Letters and packages for patients are delivered each morning by volunteers. Letters and parcels that arrive after you have been discharged are forwarded to your home. Outgoing mail may be left at the nurses' station or given to a volunteer.
Flowers
Flowers are delivered to your room by volunteers.
Newspapers
Newspapers may be purchased at the entrance to the hospital. A complimentary copy of the Rice Lake Chronotype is available each week on Wednesday.
Notary Public
The services of a notary are available for patients free of charge.
For the Hearing Impaired
A telecommunications device is available to help hearing-impaired patients or patients who want to communicate with a hearing-impaired relative or friend. Arrangements also can be made to have a person who uses sign language help a hearing-impaired or deaf patient.
Interpreters
The hospital has access to interpreters for a number of foreign languages. Please ask, if you require these services.
For Your Safety
Smoking
For the health and well-being of our patients and staff, Lakeview Medical Center does not allow any smoking within the building.
Fire Drills
For your protection, the hospital conducts fire and disaster drills regularly. If a drill occurs while you are here, please remain in your room and do not be alarmed. The hospital is a fire-resistant building, and the staff is trained in fire protection.
Medications
Your doctor must prescribe all medications you take while in the hospital. If you bring medications with you, please give them to your nurse. In some instances, your doctor may write orders for you to take your own medication or have them available at your bedside.
Wheelchairs
Wheelchairs are available on all nursing units, but getting in and out of them without assistance may be hazardous. Please ask for help from a member of the nursing staff.
Going Home
Discharge planning actually begins when a patient enters the hospital. Your health care team will help you prepare for discharge. A Nurse Discharge Planner and/or Social Worker is available to assist you in making necessary discharge arrangements.
Personal Belongings
Collect all of your belongings and double-check closets and drawers.
Discharge
Instructions
Your health care team will give you instructions about post-hospital
care. If you have questions about your diet, activities, equipment,
home health care needs or any other services, please be sure
to ask your nurse or doctor.
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