Medical Errors

These are excellent suggestions. I would add that if you are a BC survivor with lymph nodes removed on one side, I'd go so far as to wear something on that arm that says 'No I.V. in this arm'. Nothing fancy, you could even just use one of those rubber bracelets, with a colored piece of tape attached. This may sound over-the-top, but as mentioned above - tired staff forget things, or do not inform the next shift.

Also - this may sound odd - but make sure you have an i.d. bracelet on right away. This past fall, I had an entire 8-hour surgery without a bracelet. Five hours after surgery, I had to ask someone to get me a bracelet. It's possible for charts to get mixed up, so you want them to know who you are...especially if you're allergic to anything. That's a big question! I'll try to keep this short as there is so much information to give you.
1. Enlist the help of a loved one to be your advocate. That person will be your eyes and ears during your hospital stay. Also choose one point person to communicate with the doctors and nurses. If these professionals have to take calls from your family and friends and tell them the same story about your, it takes time away from caring for patients.
2. Create a patient checklist or go to my website and use the one I provide. You will repeat this at every new medical encounter; your name, date of birth, your diagnosis, your physician's name. This helps to prevent patient name mistakes and much more.
3. Keep a list of your medications. Medications look alike and sound a like. Write down the brand and generic names of your meds, the dosage, what your meds look like, pay attention to labels. Ask questions if anything seems unusual or out of the ordinary.
4. Most nurses and doctors are overworked and are taking care of too many patients. You want to stand out and be remembered as a human being, not as the shoulder surgery in room 201. Make eye contact with your nurses and doctors, tell them a little about yourself, establish a bit of a personal relationship with each of them, ask questions so they know you are interested in your health (they will be too if they see that you are invested in your health and medical care) and say thank you. Showing appreciation if very important.
5. Make requests only of your primary nurse, that is your registered nurse. Too many nurses from interviews from my last book, told me sad stories about patients or their advocates asking nurse's aids or techs for medication for pain and the requests never getting received. Medical staff dress alike. Write down your primary nurse's name. Chat with her/him. Establish some sort of personal relationship.
6. Ask everyone to wash their hands before touching you. You can even place a hand made sign on the wall above your bed that says, "Please wash your hands before touching me."
7. Wash YOUR hands before eating. Hospital meal tray tables, bed rails, TV remote controls and more are covered with germs/bacteria. Ask your advocate to bring in bleach wipes for those items, and wash your own hands with warm, soapy water for 20 seconds.
8. If you are confused or don't understand something about your medical care, speak up. This is very important. Medical errors so easily occur when there is a communication snafu.
9. If your doctor or nurse does not speak your language, bring in a loved one to translate for you. Hospitals are required by law to have an interpreter but one may not be available when you are in need. Hospitals have by-phone translation services but not all nurses like to use them.