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DeKalb Community Hospital
520 West Main Street Smithville, TN 37166 615.215.5000
615.215.5600 fax
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Medical Specialty Office
615-215-5250
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Medical Nurses' Station 615-215-5500
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Sleep Center
615-215-5161
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Outpatient Physical Therapy
615-215-5470 |
Human Resources
615-215-5370 |
Riverside Center
615-563-4062
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How can you make your stay
a safe and positive experience?
Stones River Hospital and DeKalb Community
Hospitals are committed to excellence. An
important part of that excellence is our
commitment to your safety. Patients who are more
involved with their care in the hospital tend to
do better and stay safer. By working together
with physicians, nurses and other hospital
staff, you can lower your risk of injury and
make your hospital stay as safe as possible.
Pain Management
Pain management is of vital importance in the
course of a patient’s hospital stay. Effective
pain management promotes healing, allows for
early ambulation and helps prevent
complications. The nursing staff ask you about
your pain so that we can treat your pain
appropriately. We ask patients to report pain
when it becomes bothersome and not wait until it
is severe. You will be asked to rate your pain
on a scale of zero to ten. Zero means you have
no pain and ten means you have severe pain. Our
goal is to anticipate your need for pain
medications and to provide adequate pain control
during your hospital stay.
Ask questions
Please ask a staff member for help. Feel free to
talk to your doctor and nurse about any
concerns. We welcome your questions. Ask
questions if you do not understand. If you think
of questions when your doctor or nurse is not
present, write down your questions so that you
can ask them at a later time. Get the most from
your treatment.
Get the most from your treatment
Ask your doctor and nurse about your treatment
plan. Make sure that you understand and agree
with that plan. Ask a family member or friend to
listen with you when a diagnosis, treatment
plan, test results, or discharge plans are
explained. This will help you remember. Be
informed about your treatments. Ask when the
treatments will be given and what they are for.
If equipment is used for your care, know what it
is for and how it should sound. Question
anything that seems unusual or different from
what you were told.
Get the most from your medicines
Ask your nurse about your medicines – what they
are, what they look like, what they do, when
they are given, and what side effects they might
have. If you do not recognize a medicine, verify
that it is for you. Let your doctor or nurse
know if you have any allergies or have had
previous reactions to any drugs, foods, or
latex. Tell your doctor and nurse about all
medicines you are taking, including vitamins,
herbal remedies, and over-the-counter medicines.
Do not take medicines that you brought into the
hospital from home, unless told to do so by your
doctor or hospital staff. Identify yourself.
Wear your hospital I.D. bracelet at all times.
If your bracelet comes off, ask staff to get you
a new one. Check the information on your
hospital I.D. bracelet to make sure that it is
correct. Make sure all staff check your I.D.
bracelet before any procedure, test or
medication.
Help prevent the
spread of germs
Be aware that hand washing is the best way to
prevent the spread of germs. Let staff know if
your gown or linens are soiled. Staff will
welcome your reminder to wash their hands or
wear gloves before examining you or giving you
your medicine. Ask friends and relatives who
have colds, respiratory symptoms, or other
contagious illnesses not to visit you or anyone
in the hospital. Get vaccinated, if it is
recommended. Flu and pneumonia vaccines can help
prevent illnesses in elderly and high-risk
patients, and are available to you.
Be alert to situations in which
you could experience a fall
Ask for help when getting out of bed, especially
at night. The hospital is an unfamiliar place
and most falls occur when patients try to get
out of bed on their own to go to the bathroom.
Make sure your call-button on your bed works and
you know how to use it. Let your nurse know if
you have trouble reaching the call button. If
possible, call for help before the need to get
to the bathroom becomes urgent. Make sure there
is adequate light to see, and keep your
eyeglasses within reach. Wear slippers with
rubber soles to prevent slipping. Point out to
staff any spills or obstructions on the floor.
Make sure the brakes are locked when you get
into and out of a wheel chair.
Personal items
Pay careful attention to where you place your
dentures, hearing aids, and eye glasses, as they
are all important to your comfort and
well-being. They are best kept in a case/cup
with your name on it when you’re not wearing
them.
Smoking
The hospital allows smoking only in outdoor
designated areas. If you would like help to quit
smoking, please speak to your nurse or doctor.
Prepare yourself for
when you go home
Make sure you are clear about discharge
instructions including medicines you need and
information about a follow-up visit. Be sure you
are given a phone number to call if you have
questions.
Reporting Concerns Related to Your
Care
If you have any
concerns related to your care, treatment,
service or a patient safety issue please bring
them to our attention immediately. If these
issues are not resolved, you may directly
contact Administration by phone or by mail to:
DeKalb Community Hospital
(615) 215-5300 520
West Main Street Smithville, TN 37166
www.DeKalbCommunityHospital.com
administration@dchtn.com
You may also contact the
Tennessee Department of Health at 877-287-0010 or by
mail at:
Division of Healthcare
Facilities
Centralized Complaint Intake
Unit
227 French Landing,
Suite 501
Heritage Place Metrocenter
Nashville, TN 37243
tn.health@tn.gov
You may also contact The
Joint Commission at 1-800-994-6610 or by mail at:
Office of Quality Monitoring
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
complaint@jointcommission.org
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