Nason Patient Guide

We are committed to your care.

Our goal is to provide the best quality care. To do so, we ask for feedback from patients like you. You may be contacted by phone, email or text and asked to complete a confidential survey. Please take the time to complete the survey. Your feedback will help us know what we’re doing well and where we can improve.

Privacy Practices Patient Rights & Responsibilities Concerns About Your Care

Fast facts about your stay.

Support for Caregivers

We encourage patients to pick a key person to support them during their hospital stay. Whether you are that primary support person, or just one of many people caring for and supporting your loved one, you can play an important role in making sure your loved one gets the safest and best care both here and beyond the hospital.

Patient and Family Care
We participate in patient- and family-centered care. We believe that family plays an important role in ensuring the health and well-being of patients of all ages. Our goal is to create partnerships among healthcare practitioners, patients and families that will lead to the best outcomes and enhance the delivery of safe, quality, efficient, effective, and timely care.

What to Know Before You Leave
Caregivers can help ensure the best outcome for their loved one after a hospital stay by getting the answers to these three questions:

What is the next step for medical care (home or facility, follow-up with primary care physician or physical therapy, etc.)? Help your loved one arrange the details to make this happen—financial plan, transportation, scheduling, etc.
What new and former medicines does my loved one need to take? Help your loved one understand the details—timing, dosing instructions, side effects, prescription refills, etc.
What health warning signs do I need to watch for and what do I do if they happen? Help your loved one by writing these symptoms down as well as the name and contact number to call.

If you feel like you need a break or help, reach out to friends and family. And consult the resources listed here: National Alliance for Caregiving | Family Caregiver Alliance | Caregiver Action Network

Facts About Your Stay

ATM

For your convenience, an ATM is located on the first level of the hospital near the main lobby entrance.

Bedside Shift Report

We want you to feel comfortable and cared for throughout your stay, so at each nursing shift change—about every 12 hours—your nurse will introduce your new nurse to you. The team will talk about your progress, medicine and tests scheduled for the day. Ask questions. The more you’re involved, the better and safer your care.

Bedside Technology

During your stay, you may see your doctors and nurses using computers or tablets. These tools help them care for you by providing around-the-clock monitoring, a variety of resources and quick communication with the rest of your healthcare team. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or nurse.

We have the My Chart Bedside application for your use while hospitalized. Ask your nurse to enroll you. There are mini iPads available for your use if needed.

Café and Dining

Basement Bistro
Location: Basement level

Breakfast Hours:
Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Lunch Hours:
Daily: 10:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Micro Market
Location: Inside the gift shop area near the main lobby

Hours:
Monday through Sunday:
Open 24 hours

Visitors may use the cafeteria at any time. Due to dietary restrictions, patients may not be served in the cafeteria.

Calling Your Nurse

Your room is connected to the nursing station via an intercom system. To call for your nurse, press the NURSE call button located on your pillow speaker/call bell. If you have any questions on how to use the call button, ask a staff member to show you.

Cellphones & Video

During your stay, you may see members of your care team using mobile phones. Our staff are permitted to use phones for work-related activities, such as communicating with doctors or other care team members. Employees are not allowed to use phones for non-work-related activities. There are many work-related benefits of cellphones and other communication devices, including access to medical references, clinical tools and patient information.

Channel Listing for TV

Conemaugh Nason Medical Center provides a list of top channels for your viewing pleasure.

Chaperone

Please let us know if you would like a chaperone to be present during your examination.

Concerns About Your Care

Please speak with your nurse or nursing supervisor if you have any questions or concerns about your care. If your issue still is not resolved, then contact the hospital patient advocate. You also have the right to file your complaint with either:

The Pennsylvania Department of Public Health
Health and Human Services Building, 8^th floor West
625 Forster St. Main Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Email: www.health.pa.gov

Office of Quality and Patient Safety
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Website: www.jointcommission.org, then click “Report patient safety event”

Medicare beneficiaries also may call Livanta Quality Improvement Organization at +1 866-815-5440 or use their website: www.livantaqio.cms.gov/en

Sometimes a healthcare choice can involve an ethical concern—such as a wish to refuse life-saving treatment or a disagreement over advance directives. Our Patient Safety Officer can help you and those who are here to support you make difficult decisions. For help, contact: Patient Safety Officer at 814.224.6272

Electrical Appliances

For your safety, we reserve the right to inspect any electrical appliances brought into the hospital.

Fire Safety

We conduct fire drills from time to time. If you hear an alarm, stay where you are. In an actual emergency, hospital staff will tell you what to do.

Flowers

Flowers are delivered to patient rooms by individual florists. Please note that flowers are not allowed in Intensive Care Units.

Gift Shop

Entrance located to the left of the main lobby. It is run by the Nason Auxiliary, and sales support programs to enhance the patient experience, including the comfort cart.

Hours of Operation:

Mon. to Fri.: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Cash, check and credit cards accepted

Hearing Impaired

We have services available for people who are deaf or hearing impaired. If you need these services, please contact your nurse.

Hourly Rounding

A nurse will visit you every hour during the day and every two hours at night to check on your comfort, help you change positions in bed, assist with trips to the bathroom, and make sure you can reach your phone, call light and personal items easily.

Housekeeping Services

You will be visited by a member of the housekeeping staff on a daily basis. If you have a specific need, please feel free to dial extension 1040 for assistance.

Interpreters and Translation Services

Interpreter services are available. Conemaugh Nason Medical Center has made provisions to provide interpretation services for our patients. Please contact your nurse for assistance.

Lay Caregiver

An individual eighteen (18) years of age or older, including next of kin, duly designated as a lay caregiver by the patient, guardian, or next of kin who provides aftercare assistance to the patient. This person is chosen by the patient to provide assistance to the patient after discharge.

Lost and Found

Please contact the front office in the main lobby for lost items.

Mail

All letters, packages, and flowers that are addressed to you will be delivered directly to your room. To avoid confusion, tell your family and friends your hospital room number so that your items can be delivered promptly.

Mail received after discharge will be forwarded to the patient’s home. Outgoing mail may be taken to the nurse’s station or given to your attending nurse. Postage stamps are available in the gift shop.

Medicines

Please do not bring any prescription or over-the-counter medicines to the hospital. All medicines you take in the hospital need to be prescribed, filled and given to you by hospital staff. Tell your doctor about any medicines you regularly take. If you still need a specific medication, hospital staff will give these to you.

Parking

Parking is free and available in designated locations at the hospital.

Pastoral Care

If you would like a visit for spiritual care and comfort, your pastor is welcome to visit. Additionally, our chapel, located on the first floor near the lobby, is always open for prayer and meditation.

Patient Meals

Meals are provided for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. These diets are tailored to your medical needs. Please check with your nurse prior to bringing in food from the outside.

Personal Belongings and Valuables

Personal care items such as contact lenses, eyeglasses, hearing aids and dentures can be stored in your bedside stand when not in use. Please do not put them on your bed or food tray to help avoid them being lost or damaged. Leave valuables like jewelry or cash at home or give them to a trusted relative or friend to watch over. Conemaugh Nason Medical Center cannot be responsible for replacing personal belongings.

Photography

The use of any audio or video recording capable devices within the hospital may constitute not only an invasion of patients’ and employees’ personal privacy, but may breech confidentiality of the patient, hospital or hospital-related information. Because of this, audio and video recording are not allowed in the hospital without approval from hospital staff and the patient’s written permission.

Public Restrooms

For everyone’s health and safety, we ask visitors not to use patient restrooms. Public restrooms are located throughout the hospital. Ask hospital staff to direct you to the nearest one.

Quiet Time

Conemaugh Nason Medical Center recognizes that our patients need to get as much rest as they can to promote their healing process, while understanding hospitals can be noisy and busy places. A quiet and restful environment promotes healing, whereas noise can add stress and be detrimental to their healing process. To allow our patients to rest during the day, we will have quiet hours from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. and after 8 p.m.

Rapid Response Team

You can call a critical-care response team to respond if you notice a condition worsens. Dial extension 6333 on the bedside phone. Tell the operator: your name, room number, patient’s name, and your concern. The Rapid Response Team will be sent to the room. Ask a staff member to learn more.

Smoking

Given the serious health hazards of tobacco use, we have chosen to become a 100 percent tobacco-free campus. No smoking or tobacco products will be used while on Conemaugh Nason property, parking lots, associated buildings and vehicles. Patients and visitors are asked not to smoke during their hospital visit.

If You Smoke or Use Tobacco
Patients are not permitted to leave the nursing unit to go outside and smoke. While you are in the hospital, please do not suffer from nicotine withdrawal. You can receive nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or other appropriate support during your hospital visit. Please ask your nurse for more information.

Staff Recognition

We offer two recognition programs to honor our dedicated staff. The DAISY Award is available for nominations to recognize outstanding contributions by nursing staff, including RNs and LPNs. For all other staff, the Laurel Award provides an opportunity to celebrate their exceptional efforts. Nomination forms can be found throughout the hospital.

Telephone

All patient rooms have telephones. To place a call within the hospital, dial the four-digit extension. For local calls, dial the ten-digit number. Long distance calls must be made collect, charged to your home phone or paid by credit card. You cannot have phone charges added to your hospital bill.

TV

Each patient room has a television. Please be considerate of others by keeping the volume down and turning off your TV at bedtime. TVs are controlled by the bedside pillow speaker or side rail controls. Closed captioning is available for the hearing impaired. Ask a staff member if you have any questions on using your TV.

Your Room

Information on room assignment, private rooms, room temperature, hospital bed, etc., will be provided by our staff on admission and at your request.

Vending Machines

For your convenience, snacks and beverages are available 24/7 in the vending machines located in the emergency room waiting area. Additional items can be purchased at the micro market, situated to the left of the main lobby in the gift shop area.

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours are subject to change. Please ask your nurse for official hours during your stay.

To promote healing and safety and limit infection, some units may limit the number of visitors you can receive at one time.

General Hours: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Note: Patients have the right to choose to receive visitors from among family, friends or other individuals at any time during their stay.
Pediatrics: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Note: One parent or other adult support person is permitted to stay 24 hours a day.
ICU: 9:00 a.m. t0 8:00 p.m. Note: Children under 12 may visit for 15 minutes and must be accompanied by an adult.

Do not visit if you have a cold, sore throat, fever or other illness. Adhere to isolation precautions when posted outside of patient rooms. Sanitize your hands before entering and when leaving a patient’s room. Ask before bringing foods, drinks, or other items like balloons, flowers, or perfume that might trigger allergies into patient rooms.

Visiting Overnight
Overnight visitation with a patient must be coordinated with the supervisor and/or nurse manager and is only permitted under certain circumstances. We request you remain in the waiting room or the patient’s room at all times during your overnight visit. You may pre-order a guest tray from dietary for a nominal fee. Please see your nurse for information. We reserve the right to revoke overnight privileges.

Wifi

Patients and visitors can enjoy free Wi-Fi by connecting to the Guest Access network.