During Your Stay
Whether it’s a birth or knee surgery, everyone comes to a hospital to receive the best care possible for their personal situation. At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, we understand your needs and are here for your comfort, your convenience, and most importantly, your health.
Parking
- Visitors: Park in the lots or garage of any St. Elizabeth Healthcare facility at no charge.
- Patients: Park in the facility closest to the service they are receiving (for example, emergency, outpatient or physical therapy).
For more information about parking, you may contact the Security department of St. Elizabeth Healthcare by calling (859) 301-2270.
Meals
Culinary Creations Room Service Program
St. Elizabeth’s Nutrition Services is dedicated to providing exceptional service while you are in our care. We are proud of our Culinary Creations Room Service Program. Fresh cuisine, made to order for you! Visit our Nutrition Services page to learn more.
Ordering Food from Outside Vendors
If you are on a regular diet, with no dietary restrictions, family or friends may bring you food or meals from outside vendors. Speak to your nurse to ensure you have no pending tests or anything else that would restrict food or beverage intake. We DO NOT allow food delivery onto the hospital floors. If you place an order for delivery, a family member or friend must meet the delivery service at the main entrance and then bring the item to you. Hospital personnel are prohibited from leaving their work areas to assist in this matter.
Free Wireless Internet Available
Free wireless internet access is available throughout St. Elizabeth Covington, Dearborn, Edgewood, Florence, Ft. Thomas and Grant, so that patients, visitors, physicians and staff can connect to the internet while in the facility. Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) service should be accessible from any computer or hand-held device running current, standard operating systems. The network is called SEH Public. Computers are not provided by the hospital, but patients or guests who bring their own laptop computers or handheld devices can connect to the internet free of charge.
Telephone Services
To place a call anywhere within St. Elizabeth Healthcare, dial only the last five digits of the telephone number.
Telephones are available in all patient rooms, except on the Behavioral Health Unit.
To place an outside call: Dial 9 for a local outside line, then dial your number.
- Toll Free Calls:
- 9 + 1 + 800 + number
- 9 + 1 + 877 + number
- 9 + 1 + 888 + number
- For collect, calling-card or third-party calls:
- 8 + 0 + area code + number
- Other long distance carriers:
- Dial “0” for the hospital operator to assist you.
- For other dialing problems:
- Dial “0” for the hospital operator.
Television
Patient Safety
Speak Up!
Speak Up encourages patients to participate in their healthcare and promote patient safety.
- S: Speak up if you have questions, concerns or do not understand any aspect of your care.
- P: Pay attention to the care you are receiving to make sure you are getting the right treatments and medicines.
- E: Educate yourself about your illness and treatment plan.
- A: Ask a family member or friend to be your advocate, advisor or supporter.
- K: Know what medicines you take and why you take them. Keep a list of home medications and bring it to the hospital.
- U: Use an accredited healthcare facility like St. Elizabeth Healthcare.
- P: Participate in all decisions about your treatment plan; you are the center of the healthcare team.
Patient Identification
Proper patient identification is an integral part of patient
safety. During your stay, you will be asked often to identify
yourself by stating you name and date of birth. You will also
receive an armband with information on it that caregivers
will use to identify you correctly. Your safety is our number
one priority.
Helpful Things to Know When You Are in The Hospital
You are part of the care team. You have a right to understand your care. You have a responsibility to ask questions and be involved in care decisions.
We will be explaining lots of things to you during your stay, so if you have any problems with speaking, reading, hearing, or understanding, please let us know.
If you have any safety concerns during your stay, please tell your nurse or any hospital staff member.
Please be sure that all staff wash their hands or use antiseptic hand gel before and after caring for you. We recommend that you and your visitors also wash your hands frequently.
For your health and safety, we encourage the use of masks by anyone showing signs of a respiratory infection, such as a cold or flu. Those who are ill should not visit.
If you have certain infectious conditions, staff and visitors may need to take extra precautions to protect you and others. These precautions may vary according to your condition and will be explained to you. During cold and flu season, visitors may be limited, especially children.
Pain management is an important part of your care. While complete pain relief may not be possible, we will partner with you to manage your pain to an acceptable level. Your nurse will explain this process and more information is in the pain brochure you have been given.
If you have any questions about your medications, please ask your nurse. If you are given a medication that you don’t recognize, please let your nurse know immediately.
If your family sees any changes in your condition that concerns them, they should contact your nurse. If your family feels their concerns are not being taken care of, they may dial 2-2222 on your phone and ask the operator to connect them with the Rapid Response Team.
The Rapid Response Team is a team of highly trained medical professionals. If there is a serious change in a patient’s medical condition the team assists the patient’s nurse and other healthcare team members to prevent a medical emergency.
Some of those changes may include:
• Difficulty breathing.
• Sharp chest pain.
• Increased bleeding.
• Confusion, agitation, seizures or other mental changes.
• Using the bathroom more or less frequently.
• Unusual behavior, or something “just not right” with the patient.
Please do not be annoyed if we frequently ask you for your name and birth date. We are not forgetful; we just want to be absolutely sure that you get the medications and treatments meant for you and no one else.
Due to your medical condition, unfamiliar surroundings or medications, you may be at a higher risk of falling.
To prevent falls:
• Please ask for help when you want to get up.
• Keep your nurse call device within reach.
• Be sure to wear non-skid slippers or shoes.
We hope these tips are helpful and make your stay more comfortable. We thank you for the privilege of caring for you.
