Earlier this year, the NHS England National Patient Safety Team created a video, along with a supporting leaflet, to provide patients with simple tips on keeping themselves safe during their hospital stay. It’s important this information is shared widely with patients, so they have all the information they need prior to their admission to hospital.
Top Tips:
- Ask for help if you don’t understand.
- Check your hospital wristband and tell someone right away if any information is wrong.
- Tell staff about any allergies.
- Tell staff about your medicines, even if these are vitamins and supplements you have bought yourself.
- Tell staff if you have any medical devices or alert cards.
- Protect yourself from slips and falls by wearing shoes or slippers with grip.
- Take steps to prevent blood clots – take short walks or do simple feet exercises if you are able to.
- Stay hydrated – unless you are told not to drink water or other fluids, such as before surgery.
- Help prevent pressure ulcers by changing your position in bed regularly – ask staff if you need assistance, and they can get you a special mattress or cushions if needed.
- Help prevent infections – it is really important to regularly wash your hands, tell staff if you have any diarrhoea or vomiting, and if you have any needles or tubes attached let staff know if they become sore or uncomfortable.
- When its time to go home, make sure you understand when you will receive your discharge letter, and if you are taking any medicines home, ensure you know what they are for and how to take them – don’t be afraid to ask.
Leaflets can be downloaded here in the following languages:
- English
- Arabic
- Cantonese
- French
- Gujarati
- Mandarin
- Polish
- Portuguese
- Punjabi
- Romanian
- Spanish
- Urdu
For further information, click here.
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