Patient Safety
No Smoking Policy
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is a completely smoke-free environment—indoors and outdoors. Smoking is prohibited in Hospital buildings, at entrances, on all outside grounds, and in gardens, courtyards, and parking facilities. For information on programs that can help you stop smoking, ask your doctor or visit the Hospital's website at www.nyp.org and search under smoking cessation.
Important Patient Safety Information
At NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, we want to work closely with you to make your care safe. By getting involved in your care, asking questions, and speaking up, you will help us achieve optimum outcomes.
Be Actively Involved in Your Care
Your health care team will keep you informed about your care. They will listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and explain your treatment plan. If English is not your primary language and you need assistance, we will provide an interpreter for you. When you are discharged, you will receive written instructions to take home.
Ask Questions and Speak Up
- Actively participate in decisions about your treatment.
- Ask questions about your care and treatment.
- Ask questions about your discharge instructions.
- Tell us if you do not understand what we are saying to you.
- Ask for an interpreter if you do not understand English.
Keep Your Health Care Team Informed
- Share your medical history with your health care team.
- Tell us about all your medical problems and prior surgeries.
- Tell us if you have any allergies.
Know Your Medications
While you are in the Hospital, ask about all medications you are given and why they have been prescribed for you. Remember to take home your written medication instructions.
Expect Staff to Check and Recheck Your Identification Band
Wear your Hospital identification (ID) band at all times while you are in the Hospital. Our staff will review the information on your Hospital ID band before giving you any medications, before tests, procedures, and X-rays, or when giving you your food tray. If your ID band comes off or is unreadable, ask us to replace it.
Help Prevent Falls
For your protection, we strive to make every effort to prevent falls during your Hospital stay. This includes placing your call button within reach, helping you get out of bed, and taking you for walks on the nursing unit. If you are at risk for falling, we will take extra precautions.
You can help prevent falls by:
- Calling for help before you get out of bed or a chair.
- Keeping your call button close to you; let us know if you cannot reach it.
- Wearing Hospital-provided non-skid socks or shoes when you walk around.
- Making sure the brakes are locked before getting in or out of a wheelchair.
- If you wear glasses, making sure you have them on before you get out of bed.
- Following the staff's instructions to prevent falls.
Preventing Infections
Preventing infections is one of the most important goals at the Hospital. While not every infection is preventable, many can be prevented by following certain precautions.
Practice Hand Hygiene
One of the best ways to prevent infections is hand hygiene. Hand hygiene refers to cleaning hands with soap and water or with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Alcohol-based products are an easy way to perform hand hygiene. Throughout the Hospital, you will see Purell® dispensers and bottles in hallways and patient rooms.
Your health care team will clean their hands before and after providing care to prevent the spread of infection. They are required to use Purell or wash their hands with soap and water. If you're not sure that your health care team cleaned their hands, please ask them to do so before they examine you or do a procedure. They will be glad you reminded them.
Follow Visitor Guidelines
We want you to help prevent the spread of infection, too. If your family or friends have an infection, such as a cold, cough, fever, or rash, please ask them not to visit until they feel better. Ask your visitors to clean their hands with Purell® before they come into your room.
