Here to Serve You
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death.

Nurses work in a large variety of practice settings where they work independently and as part of a team to assess, plan, implement and evaluate care. Nurses provide the 24/7 direct care to our patients.

Nurses care for individuals of all ages and cultural backgrounds who are healthy and ill in a holistic manner based on the individual's physical, emotional, psychological, intellectual, social, and spiritual needs. The profession combines physical science, social science, nursing theory, and technology in caring for those individuals.
 

In order to work in the nursing profession, all nurses hold one or more credentials depending on their scope of practice and education. A Licensed practical nurse (LPN) works with a Registered nurse. The most significant role nurses play in the care of our patients is individualized care that is centered on the needs of the patient.

A Registered nurse (RN) provides scientific, psychological, and technological knowledge in the care of patients and families in many health care settings. Registered nurses may also earn additional credentials or degrees enabling them to work under different titles (Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Registered Nurse First Assistant, Certified Nurse RN Anesthetist).

Certified Nursing Assistants, often referred to as CNAs assist in the delivery of daily care to our patients in a variety of settings. The CNAs are valuable members of the nursing team in providing service to our customers, such as:

• Administering medications
• Assisting in controlling pain
• Treating you with courtesy and respect
• Listening carefully to you
• Explaining things to you in a way you understand
• Responding to your call light
• Helping you with toileting
• Preparing you for surgery or procedures
• Monitoring your vital signs
• Starting IV fluids
• Calling attending physicians when problems arise or your status changes
• Keeping you informed of your plan of care
• Explaining your medicines to you
• Describing side effects of medicines you are taking
• Talking to you about your discharge: help you may need when you get home and what kind of problems to look for once you are home

Nurse practitioners: These nurses have specialized training. They make rounds and help your doctor deliver care by ordering tests and treatments.

Consultants: Your admitting physician calls these people in for various reasons. They help diagnose and treat difficult or unusual cases and provide care your admitting physician normally does not give.

Social services: They help with any social problems and will arrange for discharge treatments and follow-up care.

Physician’s assistant (PA): These function much like a nurse practitioner. They assist your doctor in ordering tests and, in most states, prescribing therapy and medication.

Aides and orderlies: These people help in the day-to-day functions of your care and hospital admission.

Discharge planning: Your case manager works with your physician, nurse, and you to determine how long you will stay in the hospital.
 

When you are to be discharged from the hospital, make sure the case manager addresses the following issues:

• Home care: Will you need home nursing care or other arrangements? (For example, will you need to build wheelchair ramps?)
• Medications: What new medication will you need to take, and for how long?
• Do the medications have side effects?
• Will they interact with any medications you currently are on?
• Back to work: When can you return to work?
• Are there limitations to what you can do at work or at home? (Your doctor should provide a note for your employer regarding any restrictions.)
• Whom should you follow up with and when?
• On what date is your follow-up visit scheduled?
• If you are to schedule your own follow-up, whom do you call?
• What are the phone numbers?
• Where do you go for follow-up?

Make sure you ask questions regarding your bill before you are discharged. Specifically, the following issues should be covered:

• Who is responsible to pay for your care?
• Does the hospital have charity care or a sliding-scale fee if you don’t have insurance?
• For itemized bills, make sure no mistakes were made.
• If there are discrepancies in your bill and the care you receive, bring it to the attention of the customer service department or patient financial services.

Patient Satisfaction
Lakewood Health System sends patient satisfaction surveys to people once they are discharged. This survey is an opportunity for you to voice any problems you had with your care and/or to recognize staff members who offered you service you were particularly pleased with. Our entire hospital staff pays close attention to these surveys.

If you don't receive a survey and still want to recognize or illustrate problems or satisfaction with your care, you can write a letter to the Director of Nursing, Customer Service Director, Division Director or President at Lakewood Health System. We listen to your feedback and work to improve our services, to meet your satisfaction.