Patient Guide
We are committed to your care.
Our goal is to provide the best quality care. To do so, we ask for feedback from patients like you. You may be contacted by phone, email or text and asked to complete a confidential survey. Please take the time to complete the survey. Your feedback will help us know what we’re doing well and where we can improve.
Support for Caregivers
We encourage patients to pick a key person to support them during their hospital stay. Whether you are that primary support person, or just one of many people caring for and supporting your loved one, you can play an important role in making sure your loved one gets the safest and best care both here and beyond the hospital.
Patient and Family Care
We participate in patient- and family-centered care. We believe that family plays an important role in ensuring the health and well-being of patients of all ages. Our goal is to create partnerships among healthcare practitioners, patients and families that will lead to the best outcomes and enhance the delivery of safe, quality, efficient, effective, and timely care.
What to Know Before You Leave
Caregivers can help ensure the best outcome for their loved one after a hospital stay by getting the answers to these three questions:
- What is the next step for medical care (home or facility, follow-up with primary care physician or physical therapy, etc.)? Help your loved one arrange the details to make this happen—financial plan, transportation, scheduling, etc.
- What new and former medicines does my loved one need to take? Help your loved one understand the details—timing, dosing instructions, side effects, prescription refills, etc.
- What health warning signs do I need to watch for and what do I do if they happen? Help your loved one by writing these symptoms down as well as the name and contact number to call.
If you feel like you need a break or help, reach out to friends and family. And consult the resources listed here: National Alliance for Caregiving | Family Caregiver Alliance | Caregiver Action Network
Facts About Your Stay
Bedside Shift Report
We want you to feel comfortable and cared for throughout your stay, so at each nursing shift change—about every 12 hours—your nurse will introduce your new nurse to you. The team will talk about your progress, medicine and tests scheduled for the day. Ask questions. The more you’re involved, the better and safer your care.
Bedside Technology
During your stay, you may see your doctors and nurses using computers or tablets. These tools help them care for you by providing around-the-clock monitoring, a variety of resources and quick communication with the rest of your healthcare team. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or nurse.
Cafeteria
Location: First Floor
Hours:
Breakfast: 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Lunch: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Grab and go items available until 2:30 pm)
Dinner: 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
All visitors are welcome to dine in the cafeteria. We have a great selection of soups, salads, sandwiches and healthy meal choices for our visitors, staff and physicians!
For your convenience, soft drink machines and snack machines are located on the first floor.
Cellphones & Video
During your stay, you may see members of your care team using mobile phones. At North Alabama Medical Center, our staff are permitted to use phones for work-related activities, such as communicating with doctors or other care team members. Employees are not allowed to use phones for non-work-related activities. There are many work related benefits of cellphones and other communication devices, including access to medical references, clinical tools and patient information.
Concerns About Your Care
Please speak with your nurse or nursing supervisor if you have any questions or concerns about your care. If your issue still is not resolved, then contact the hospital patient advocate. You also have the right to file your complaint with either:
The Alabama Department of Public Health
Bureau of Health Provider Standards
1201 Monroe Street, Suite 700
Montgomery, AL 36130-3017
Email: ACCComplaints@adph.state.al.us
Office of Quality and Patient Safety
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Website: www.jointcommission.org, then click “Report patient safety event”
Sometimes a healthcare choice can involve an ethical concern—such as a wish to refuse life-saving treatment or a disagreement over advance directives. Our medical ethics committee can help you and those who are here to support you make difficult decisions. For help, contact: Braxton Holloway at Braxton.Holloway@NAMCCares.com.
Gift Shop
Location: First Floor
Hours of Operation:
Mon. to Fri.: 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
Cash, check and credit cards accepted.
Located in the main lobby, Eliza’s Coffee and Gift Shop carries a wide variety of gifts for any age. You may shop for gourmet coffees, light snacks, muffins, sandwiches, gifts, greeting cards, flowers and toiletries without leaving the hospital. Eliza’s Coffee and Gift Shop carries a large line of gifts for the newborn and mother. You will find everything you need at Eliza’s Coffee and Gift Shop and you won’t have to leave the hospital!
Medicines
Please do not bring any prescription or over-the-counter medicines to the hospital. All medicines you take in the hospital need to be prescribed, filled and given to you by hospital staff. Tell your doctor about any medicines you regularly take. If you still need them, hospital staff will give them to you.
Pastoral Care
The H.M. Perritt Family Chapel is located on the 2nd floor across from the Critical Care Waiting Room. The Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Baptist | Church of Christ | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First Baptist: Forest Hills Baptist: Highland Baptist: First Baptist Center Star: Woodmont Baptist: Mount Hope Missionary: | Florence Blvd Church of Christ: Killen Church of Christ: Magnolia Church of Christ: Sherrod Avenue Church of Christ: Wood Avenue Church of Christ: | ||||||
Catholic | Methodist | ||||||
Saint Michael's: Saint Joseph's: | Edgemont Methodist: First Methodist: North Wood Methodist: | ||||||
Temple, Episcopal, | Non-Denominational | ||||||
First Presbyterian: Saint Bartholomew's Episcopal: Temple B'nai Israel: Sunnyside Church of God: | Faith Church: Church of the Highlands: Christ Chapel: RedeemerChurch: |
Patient Meals
Patient meals are provided for overnight stays. A select menu is provided and a food service ambassador will come to the patient's room to take their order for the next meal. Patients are provided selective menus for the next day on their daily breakfast trays We also provide menu marking assistance and food substitutions by calling the Patient Nutrition Office at 1550.
Our clinical nutrition department is staffed by Registered Dietitians to assist physicians, nurses, patients, and family members meet the nutritional needs of patients. The dietitians are also available for outpatient education sessions based on physician referral. For additional nutrition information, or to schedule an outpatient consult, please call 256.629.1564. Referrals can be faxed to 256.629.2710.
Personal Belongings and Valuables
Personal care items such as contact lenses, eyeglasses, hearing aids and dentures can be stored in your bedside stand when not in use. Please do not put them on your bed or food tray to help avoid them being lost or damaged. Leave valuables like jewelry or cash at home, or give them to a trusted relative or friend to watch over. North Alabama Medical Center cannot be responsible for replacing personal belongings. We recommend you bring only essential items to the hospital and offer the following tips to help keep your personal items secure:
- Clothing: Storage space in patient rooms is limited. A robe and slippers are necessary for all patients. Hospital gowns are provided. We suggest that clothing worn to the hospital be sent home with family/friends and have appropriate clothing brought to the hospital shortly before patient discharge.
- Denture Care: Patients are asked if they wear dentures or bridges and if so, a staff member will provide a denture cup to store them in when not in use. The cup will be labeled with the patient’s name. Please avoid placing dentures on a meal tray, under a pillow, on the sheets or in any concealed place where they may be lost or accidentally thrown out.
- Hearing Aids: Hearing aids should be kept in the original case provided upon purchase. If the original case is not available, nursing staff will provide a container labeled with patient name to store the hearing aids in when not in use. Do not leave hearing aids unprotected on the bedside or over-bed table.
- Eyeglasses/Contact lenses: Glasses and contact lenses are best secured in a case with patient name on it when not in use. To prevent loss or damage to eyeglasses during hospitalization, patients are asked to not leave them unprotected on the bedside table, in a robe pocket or on the bed.
- Wheelchairs, Walkers, Canes: Please put your name on all necessary items that are brought to the hospital including wheelchairs, walkers, and canes.
- Medications: Bring a current list of medications the patient is taking to the hospital. This includes herbal and over the counter medications as well as prescription medications. If a list is not available, bring in the medication containers for the staff to create a current medication list. The containers can then be taken home by a family member or friend. If medications are unable to be sent home, they may be stored by the hospital until discharge. At this time they will be retrieved. Medications brought from home are not to be stored at the bedside.
- Valuables: Please leave all valuables at home or send them home with a family member or friend upon admission to the hospital; this includes cash, checkbooks, credit cards, jewelry and other items deemed to be of value, wallet, purse, cell phone, laptop computers, e-readers, iPads, etc., or any other item that would be considered a loss if misplaced. Patients move about during a hospital admission for testing, procedures and treatments or from one inpatient unit to another due to their medical condition. If family members are not present, valuable items should be given to the nursing staff to be secured in a valuables envelope and locked in the safe. They are not to be kept at the bedside. A receipt is placed on the chart for the valuables locked in the safe. To retrieve valuables, the patient will request through the patient care provider who will contact Security to retrieve the valuables. The secured bag is opened in the presence of the patient and the valuables are match to the contents listings. The receiver of the valuables signs the Security Valuables Sheet.
- Lost Items: Unless placed in our possession for safekeeping, NAMC health System does not replace lost items. We will be happy to check our lost and found for your items. If you are/were an inpatient, please call the unit that is/was responsible for your care. If you are/were an outpatient, please speak with the practice manager of the outpatient unit.
Pre-Registration/Registration
Thank you for choosing North Alabama Medical Center as your health care provider. Our goal is to provide the very best care and make your experience as convenient as possible.
On the day of your scheduled procedure, please be sure to bring a copy of your orders.
For questions on the Admitting process, please call 256.965.0988. Please note: North Alabama Medical Center’s online pre-admission registration must be completed 48 hours in advance of your scheduled procedure.
Security
If you need the assistance of our Security Officers, please dial 256.629.1999 if outside the hospital or extension 1999 if inside the facility. You may also dial the switchboard “0” and ask to have security paged. Security Officers are on duty 24 hours a day. Out of concern for the safety of our patients, visitors and employees, illicit items are not permitted on North Alabama Medical Center property (including parking areas). Illicit items include, but are not limited to, drugs, alcohol, weapons, and other objects carried for the purpose of injuring and/or intimidating others. This measure will be strictly enforced.
Smoking
Given the serious health hazards of tobacco use, we have chosen to become a 100 percent tobacco-free campus. No smoking or tobacco products (including e-cigarettes, vapes and dip) anywhere while at NAMC. will be used while on NAMC property, parking lots, associated buildings and vehicles. Patients and visitors are asked not to smoke during their hospital visit.
The health and well-being of our patients, visitors and staff is one of the highest priorities of North Alabama Medical Center and its campuses. We realize our facilities are recognized in our community as leaders in the provision of health care. As a result, effective October 1, 2018, NAMC and its campuses will be designated a Smoke Free and Tobacco Free facility.
This policy includes NAMC Helton Campus, NAMC Cloyd Campus and Shoals Hospital, as well as the Cox Creek Medical Office Building. North Alabama Medical Center informs patients of the policy when they are admitted to the hospital.
Telephone
All patient rooms have phones.
- To place a call within the hospital, dial the four-digit extension.
- To reach a patient room directly from outside the hospital, dial 629 followed by the patient room number.
- To reach a patient room directly from inside the hospital, dial the patient room number.
- For local calls outside the hospital dial “9” and then the number, including the area code.
- For long distance calls dial “9,” listen for the dial tone then dial “0,” the area code and number of your party. Calls cannot be charged to a patient room. Instead, you may use a calling card, call collect, or charge the call to your home phone.
- TDD machines are also available for the deaf and hearing impaired through the Central Supply Department (768-2698).
Cell phones are permitted throughout the hospital except in the critical care areas. Please try to avoid cell phone use when in the room with a patient on telemetry.
TV
Each patient room has a television. Please be considerate of others by keeping the volume down and turning off your TV at bedtime. TVs are controlled by the bedside pillow speaker or side rail controls. Closed captioning is available for the hearing impaired. Ask a staff member if you have any questions on using your TV.
Visiting Hours
Visiting hours are subject to change. Please ask your nurse for official hours during your stay.
To promote healing and safety and limit infection, some units may limit the number of visitors you can receive at one time.
Visitors are welcome and can be a valuable part of a patient’s recovery. Rest is vital and optimum medical care requires that no visitors be allowed in a patient’s room during treatments or other routine care. Please ask your friends and family for cooperation. Visiting hours are restricted in Critical Care, because of the special needs of patients in these areas.
- General Hours: 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Note: Patients have the right to choose to receive visitors from among family, friends or other individuals at any time during their stay.
- Critical Care: 10:00 am–12:00 pm and 4:00 pm-6:00 pm
- Visits should be limited to 2 visitors per patient for a total of fifteen minutes.
Visiting Overnight
Overnight visitation with a patient must be coordinated with the charge nurse and/or nurse manager and is only permitted under certain circumstances. We reserve the right to revoke overnight privileges.
Volunteers
Volunteering provides a satisfying way to share personal skills, interest, abilities and time. Volunteering is a program for teens, as well as men and women of any age. Areas of service include:
- Information Desk
- Deliver patient and staff mail, LifeWise newspapers and meal cards
- Greeters and transporters
- Critical Care and Cath Lab waiting areas
Your participation is eagerly welcomed if you can give time on a weekly basis or even occasionally. So, if you have something special to share and are interested in the rewarding experience of volunteering, call Volunteer Services at 256.629.1090.