Survive Your Stay in the Hospital

Just because you're in the hospital doesn't mean you're safe from disease and potential infections.  In fact, if you overstay your welcome at any hospital, you may be putting your health at risk.

Today's excerpt from my new book Intelligence For Your Life:  Powerful Lessons For Personal Growth will help you stay your healthiest during your next hospital stay.

The hospital is a surprisingly dangerous place. Last year nearly two million people went into the hospital because of one illness and never made it out because of a bug they caught while they were there. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is well aware of this frightening statistic. Here are some suggestions from the CDC on how we can protect ourselves in the hospital:

•Clean hands are a must.
The CDC reports about a third of all hospital-acquired infections could be prevented if patients, visitors, and staff were more vigilant about hand washing. So make sure everyone has clean hands . . . including you. The rule is that all doctors, nurses, and orderlies must wash their hands between each patient. But it doesn’t always happen!

If you haven’t seen a healthcare professional washing his or her hands before coming near you, don’t be shy about asking them to wash their hands. And notice whether your doctors and nurses are wearing gloves when examining you. If not, ask why not. Also, keep a bottle of hand sanitizer next to your bed for visitors. Finally, do not touch your wounds or IV sites without scrubbing up first.

•Ask questions . . . lots of them. 
Sure, doctors, nurses, and other hospital professionals can be a little intimidating when you’re lying there in your paper gown. They might even act annoyed that you’re asking. Don’t worry about that. It’s your health we’re talking about, and it’s okay to hold hospital professionals accountable. So, ask questions like “Why are you about to examine me without wearing gloves?” “Why do I need these lab tests? Explain it to me.” “Why are you giving me THIS medication?” Asking questions and getting clarification keeps you informed about your situation. And if you ask your doctors and nurses to repeat out loud what they are doing, they might catch themselves if they are making a mistake.

•Pay attention to your medications.
According to Prevention magazine, your best bet for safety when it comes to getting the right meds and dosages is to choose a hospital (if you can) that uses a computerized medical data-entry system. According to Harvard research, hospitals that employ these systems have 85 percent fewer instances of medication mix-ups than those hospitals that keep track with pen and paper. But no matter what the computer or the attendants say, ask your doctor to give you a complete list of the medications you are taking, including dosages and frequency. Then, when the nurse hands you a pill, you can check it against your list.

John

Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

There's a lot more information on how to stay your healthiest in my new book Intelligence For Your Life:  Powerful Lessons For Personal Growth. You can buy it at your local bookstores or order it online from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Comments

[marsha]

I love your show. I listen to you every night. You have a lot of things that hit all homes including mine.Your words really stick to me.
I told my granddaughter about you. She is going on 13, She said she does listen to you. I was shocked but thankful. I thank you too. keep up the good work.
I would like to read your books, but so far haven't got one. God Bless You Marsha, from Atlantic, Ia

[Patty Bennett]

Kudos for your straight talk to parents and how they need to answer their children's questions when they have to tell them, "No." I was listening to you in the car the other night when I heard you giving examples using the correct tone of voice, using few words in your sentences to tell them "No, you are not going". Or "No, you may not talk to me that way." Why, "Because I said so." I loved it. I could not applaud because I was busy driving the car, but I was giving you shouts of encouragement. I hope the parents who were listening will adopt this successful style of parenting and not be afraid to be the parents instead of being their childrens's best friend. I Loved it! Continue to make a difference in the lives of your audience. We are all improving daily as a direct result of your "Intelligence for your Life" information.

Hugs, Patty (grandmother who used this style of parenting with my own. They turned out great and still love me. Go figure. LOL)

P.S. WOW! What a great voice you have for the radio. God bless you and your family for wanting to make a difference in this world. You know how we are supposed to leave this world a little better because we lived. You have done this in a monumental way already, and you have miles to go before you sleep. Congratulations!

[nipsum]

How do you do.
Please link to this site.