Preparing for your visit

We suggest that you bring only essential clothing. In the hospital, you may wear either your own pajamas or a patient gown provided by the hospital. Other essential items you should bring are:

• Your insurance policy cards, authorization or claim forms, social security number, driver’s license or other form of I.D
• A small amount of cash, a credit card or checkbook to pay for required deposits, co-payments or deductibles upon admission as well as for television, telephone rental, newspapers, etc. Please send your checkbook or credit cards home with a family member or friend, after admission, or your cash and property can be held in the Security office
• Pajamas, bathrobe and slippers
• Toothbrush and toothpaste, toiletries
• Eyeglasses, dentures or hearing aids. If you use these items, please be sure that they are kept in properly labeled containers
• A list of ALL medications that you currently take, including dosage and frequency. This should be done for both prescription and over-the-counter drugs
• If you have a living will or other advance directive, please bring a copy with you
• Either a pre-paid calling card or a phone card to place long-distance calls

Please note that all electrical appliances brought into the hospital must first be inspected by the Engineering department. Ask your nurse to have it checked for you.

To help us provide a safe and secure environment during your stay we ask that you comply with the following guidelines:

• Electrical appliances such as portable TVs, computers, electric shavers, blow dryers, etc., are not to be brought into the hospital
• Items of value such as jewelry, expensive clothing or large amounts of cash should be left home
• The hospital cannot accept responsibility for personal items or valuables left in your room. Please ask a family member to take them home, or ask a nurse to put them in the hospital safe

At Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare, patient safety is our first priority. During your stay as a patient, you will meet many healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, case managers and dietitians. We require that all physicians and employees of the hospital wear their ID badges to better help you recognize who is taking care of you.

Since you are the center of the Health Care Team, we ask that you take an active role in your care. There are a few specific items you can take to help us serve you better.

Tell your doctors and nurses as much as you can about your medical history. Let them know about any allergies to food or medicine you may have. Tell them about any medication you are taking, including over-the-counter medicine, eye drops, herbs and vitamin supplements. Before you take a test or receive any medication, make sure your caregiver either checks your patient wristband or refers to you by name. If you are scheduled for an operation, make sure you know what surgery you are going to have. Confirm this with the doctor and/or those involved in prepping you. If you don’t understand why you are taking certain medicines, ask. If you are given a new medication that you were not informed about, it’s okay to question it. Ask for information; we are happy to provide it.

Some hospitals ask that a family designate one member to act as spokesperson. This person would be responsible for communicating with and updating the rest of the family and or friends, thus enabling the nursing staff to spend more time caring for patients in their unit rather than answering the phone.

At Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare, we support your right to make certain decisions concerning your medical treatment. Federal law also allows for your rights and personal wishes to be respected even if you are too sick to make decisions yourself.

It is your right under certain conditions to decide whether to accept or deny medical treatment, including termination of treatment that would prolong your life artificially. These rights may be spelled out by you in the form of advance directives.

Advance directives allow individuals to indicate to their family members and physicians their choices regarding life prolonging medical treatments and other pertinent issues. Examples of advance directives include living wills, durable powers of attorney, Do-Not-Resuscitate orders, or a health care proxy. These documents will allow you to make legally valid decisions about your future medical treatment even when you are no longer able to communicate your wishes.

Before deciding which choices about your medical care are best, you should discuss the issues involved with your family and physician.

At the time of admission to the hospital, you should be asked whether you have executed an advance directive. If you have executed one please provide a copy to the hospital. Your admission and care will not be affected if you have not completed an Advance Directive.

Advanced directives are witnessed written or oral statements to family members and physicians that legally specify the care you want to receive should you become unable to communicate your wishes. Examples of advance directives include durable power of attorney, living wills, and giving a “Do-Not-Resuscitate” order. Upon admission, you will be asked whether you have executed an advance directive. If you have executed one, please provide a copy to the hospital.

You are under no obligation to execute an advance directive. However, if you are interested in creating one, notify your nurse or contact your department.

What Are “Advanced Directives”?

A document that states your choices about medical treatment or the name of someone you have chosen to make decisions about your medical treatment, if you unable to make these decisions or choices yourself is called an “Advance Directive” because it is signed in advance to let your doctor or other healthcare providers know your wishes concerning medical treatment. Advance Directives allow you to make legally valid decisions about your future medical care.

What is “Durable Power of Attorney”?

This is a document by which you give authority to another person to make decisions about financial or health related issues. You can change or revoke this document at any time before you become incapacitated to make decisions.

What is a “Living Will”?

A Living Will is a document that states your wishes regarding whether or not you want life-prolonging treatments or procedures administered to you if you are in a terminal condition, a persistent vegetative state or an end-stage condition(s). It is called a “Living Will” because it takes effect while you are still living.

There may be times when you and your family will be faced with difficult treatment choices. Our Ethics Committee is available as a resource for information and advice, and participates in the ethical policy making process at Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare. The Ethics Committee guides, educates and assists members of the hospital family, patients, and caregivers as they confront difficult, and in many cases painful, decisions. Members of the committee can be consulted when families or caregivers feel the need for clarification of ethical issues.

Requests for committee interaction can be made through your physician or healthcare providers. If you have any concerns, please contact your department Charge Nurse.

At Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare, we recognize the need to maintain patient and other information in a confidential manner. For this reason patient information will not be shared in an unauthorized manner and sensitive information concerning personnel and management issues will be maintained in the strictest confidence and utilized only by those individuals authorized to review and act upon such information.

The wrist identification band you will receive upon admission should not be removed at any time during your stay. It provides positive identification of you to all those who serve you and is a safeguard for your protection.