Keeping you safe and well while you are in hospital is a priority. There are some simple things you can do to help us look after you, while you are here with us and other patients.
Mutual Respect
It is our expectation that everyone working in and attending our services is treated with respect and dignity.
Racism and offensive remarks of any kind aimed at a person’s religion, race, ethnicity, age, appearance, gender or beliefs are unacceptable. Violence including threatening others, swearing or aggressive language, hitting or throwing things will not be tolerated. Where any person does engage in such behaviour, we reserve the right to report such matters to An Garda Siochana.
If you experience any behaviour of this while you are in the hospital, seek support from hospital staff.
Protect yourself from slips and falls
Falls can happen to anyone at any age, but they are a more common and significant problem for older people. Falls are the main cause of injury in people aged over 65. About half of all falls happen in hospital and half happen at home. People can fall for many reasons. In some cases, several factors combine to cause a fall. The good news is that there are many simple things you can do to reduce your risk of falling and to stay independent and active. These include:
Keep active and exercise. Further information on simple exercises that can help can be found here
If you use a mobility aid (Walking stick/Zimmer frame) this will help to keep you steady and can reduce your risk of falling.
Wear sturdy shoes that have a back and support you. Good soles will prevent your risk of slipping.
Some medicines or combinations of medicines may make you feel lightheaded which could lead to a fall. If you are experiencing any side effects from your medicines or your think that your medicines might be contributing to your risk of falling speak to your nurse or doctor. We also have a hospital pharmacy department, and you can request to speak to a pharmacist if you wish to do so.
Have your vision checked regularly. Your vision changes as you get older, poor vision can increase your chances of falling.
Keep your bedspace clutter free and put any items that could be a tripping hazard in your wardrobe. If the storage space is not sufficient for your needs, you may need to send some property home for safe keeping.
As you get older you need brighter lights to see well. All our bed spaces have overhead lighting, we advise that using this lighting, particularly at night when you are leaving your If you find that lighting is not sufficient, and you are finding it difficult to see clearly please discuss this with nursing staff. We may be able to provide additional lighting to assist with this matter.
Eat three well balanced meals a day to keep your energy and strength up and help you to exercise daily. Remember to drink water to stay hydrated.
We can provide falls prevention aids such a personal alarm, a falls prevention bed mat and shower slippers. If you think these items might be of assistance, please talk to nursing staff. If we think these aids would be of assistance, we may recommend these to you.
If you do fall during your stay with us, please tell staff about this so that we may ensure that you do not have an injury.
Fire Safety
The hospital has a fire alarm and smoke detectors through the building. Please check where your fire exits are on your ward.
Do not smoke outside the designated smoking areas. Internal smoking areas are for patient use only; visitors are not permitted to use these areas. The use of internal smoking areas are limited to those patients who cannot leave the ward and all of these areas are closed at night.
In relation to electrical equipment:
Please note that electrical bikes, scooters or unicycles cannot be charged in the hospital. Irons are also not permitted.
Never use double adapters or “multi gang” adapters in the hospital.
Electrical equipment that has obvious signs of damage or wear and tear (such as taped charging cables) should not be used in the hospital. If staff observe such equipment in use, you will be asked to return this home and cease its use in the hospital.
Items such as hairdryers and hair straighteners must never be left unattended while plugged in and must be allowed sufficient time to cool down after use and before storage. Never leave these items on beds, pillows, under clothes etc.
Where they are permitted, mobile phones, laptops, tablets (etc.) should be charged in your own bed space on an appropriate surface (i.e. not on beds, under pillows etc) or in the nursing station.
Fire drills are conducted regularly. If one is scheduled during your stay, you will be advised on the proper safety procedures including evacuation of the inpatient suite or hospital. Your attention is drawn to the evacuation procedure displayed in each area.
Every Tuesday morning, between 9.15am and 9.30am, the fire alarms in the hospital are tested. This means that the alarms will sound at this time. The test is carried out to ensure the are alarms are operating correctly and that all automatic fire doors close properly. Patients will not be expected to evacuate the building during this time. Staff will indicate if, for any reason, evacuate is necessary.
If you discover or suspect a fire you should raise the alarm and inform a member of staff.
In the event of a fire, follow the instructions given to you by the nurse in charge who will evacuate the ward if necessary and direct you to a safe place via the nearest emergency exit.
If you are not on the ward at this time, follow the instructions of the staff in the relevant area. Do not try to return to the ward as this may put you at risk. When you have reached a safe place, please identify yourself to a staff member to inform them what ward you are staying in.
Children First
St John of God Hospital is committed to the safeguarding of children from abuse, regarding the welfare of children as being of paramount importance and to ensuring that its staff and services respond where a concern about the safety or welfare of a child arises. In situations where there is concern that a child is in immediate danger, staff will intervene urgently to address the situation and prevent any harm from escalating. It acknowledges that all children have the right to be safe and to live a life free from abuse. In this regard St John of God Hospital has a zero tolerance for abuse and adheres to The Children First Act 2015 and Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017.
Children visiting the hospital must be accompanied by a responsible adult and are expected to remain with the adult who is supervising them.
All St John of God Hospital staff have a duty to inform TUSLA when they have reasonable grounds for concern that a child may have been, is being or is at risk of being abused or neglected. Mandated Persons comply with their legal obligation to make a Mandated Report to TUSLA when they have any knowledge, belief or reasonable suspicion that a child has been harmed, is being harmed or is at risk of being harmed in accordance with the harm thresholds set out in Children First National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children.
Infection Prevention and Control
Hospital infections can be introduced and spread by patients and visitors. You can help staff to reduce infections by ensuring that you do the following:
Always wash your hands after going to the toilet and before all meals.
Ask staff and if they have washed their hands before they have contact with you.
If you feel ill in any way, report your symptoms to staff who can assess if these are of concern from an infection prevention and control perspective (i.e. cold, flu-like symptoms, vomiting, diarrhoea).
If you are asked to isolate because of your symptoms, please comply with this requirement until you are told it is no longer necessary.
Sexual Health and Sexual Safety
Our clinical staff are available to discuss sexual health, sexual wellbeing and sexual relationships with all patients. We will do so in a supportive, non-judgemental manner with the aim of supporting you to make decisions. Whilst on the ward, please speak to a member of staff if you would like any support regarding any of these matters.
Please be mindful that you are in a hospital environment. As such, sexual expression can only occur in the context of absolute privacy and can never involve another person. Bedrooms and bed spaces are private spaces; therefore, you must not enter some else’s bedroom or bed space for any reason. Visitors are only permitted in the bedroom or bed space of the person they are visiting.
While you are with us as an inpatient, we want you to feel safe and supported, free from abuse, harm, and harassment. We will provide an environment which is as safe as possible, where any sexualised behaviour between patients will be considered inappropriate, including sexual innuendo, sexual teasing, flirting, comments about a person’s body, or more overtly sexual behaviours up to sexual assault. We will be vigilant, and we will act if we observe any inappropriate sexual behaviours. If you feel uncomfortable or if you are affected by the actions of others, it is important that you tell a member of staff that you comfortable talking to, so that we can support you.
Sexual boundaries can be broken when another person in the hospital displays inappropriate sexualised behaviour towards you. Our staff are familiar with dealing with patient disclosures and any disclosures about sexual harm or sexual safety concerns will always be taken seriously and you will be addressed with empathy and compassion. We will always treat you with respect and we will seek to give you control over how the situation is responded to. There may be times when we must share information provided due to risk. This will be discussed with you.
Allergies
If you have any allergies, please make sure to tell staff what they are. Include allergies to medicines, foods or materials like latex or plasters.
Your Medicines
For your safety, all the medicines you take while you are in hospital must be prescribed for you. This includes any pain relief, creams, eye drops, patches, vitamins or supplements. This is important as they can sometimes react with new medicines or treatments you might be given in hospital. We ask that you do not bring any medicines into hospital. High Tech medicines are an exception, and you will need to bring in your supply from your own Pharmacy, as the Hospital Pharmacy cannot supply these. If you bring in any medicines, please ask the ward for them on the day of your discharge. They can only be stored in Pharmacy for 2 weeks after your discharge, before disposal.
Please do not store any medicines in your hospital room or bed area. If you are returning from weekend leave and have medication that you have not taken, please make sure to return this to nursing staff.
If you don’t understand what your medicines are for and why you need to take them, please ask a member of staff. In addition, if you have questions about possible side effects or if you feel you are experiencing side effects, please talk to staff about this.
Our experienced pharmacists provide medicines information sessions in occupational therapy on a regular basis. You can book an appointment with a pharmacist to discuss your medications privately. Please ask a member of staff on the ward if you wish to do this.
If you would like to see any hospital policy during your stay, please ask a member of staff and they will be happy to accommodate you.
