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

Advance Directives

It's important for the Rutherford Regional staff to know exactly how you want to be cared for, particularly in critical moments. A Living Will is a document expressing your wishes for treatment in times when you can't express those wishes yourself.

Advance Directives

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.

Cafeteria

For the convenience of family and visitors, a cafeteria is located on our ground floor adjacent to the front lobby. Food items are individually priced, and a salad bar is available. We ask that you allow our staff to go first in line in order for them to return promptly to the patient care areas.

In addition the hot bar, salad bar and grill, we offer many healthy options for "grab and go" lunches.

Break Away Cafe
Location: Ground Floor

Hours:
Breakfast Hours:
Daily: 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Lunch Hours:
Daily: 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

All visitors are welcome to dine in the cafeteria during the meal times listed above. The cafeteria will be closed at all other times.

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 at your bedside. 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. At Rutherford Regional Health System, 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

2- WGGS IND	12- WHNS (FOX)	23- A&E	34- Disney Channel	44- Paramount Network
3- WBTV (CBS)	13- WLOS (ABC)	24- Discovery Channel	35- Lifetime	45- Syfy
4- WYFF (NBC)	14- Cartoon Network	25- ESPN	36- FX	46- Comedy Central
5- Local	15- Fox News	26- ESPN2	37- GAC	50- Outdoor Channel
6- WUNF (PBS)	16- Hallmark	27- CNN	38- Fox Movie Channel	54- MTV
7- WSPA (CBS)	17- BET	28- Learning Channel	39- CNN Headline News	96- QVC
8- WMYA-TV	18- Weather Channel	29- HGTV	40- Nickelodeon	97- WRET (PBS)
9- C-SPAN	19- TNT	30- TBS	41- Animal Planet
10- WYCW	20- Fox SportSouth	31- CNBC	42- TCM
11- Zip2it Express	21- Food Network	32- USA Network	43- History Channel

Chapel

The chapel is always open for prayer and meditation. It’s located on the ground floor, near the visitor elevators.

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 at 828.286.5505. You also have the right to file your complaint with either:

Carolina Division of Health
Service Regulation
2711 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-2711
1.800.624.3004

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”

Sometimes a healthcare choice can involve an ethical concern—such as a wish to refuse life-saving treatment or a disagreement over advance directives (see p. 34). Our medical ethics committee can help you and those who are here to support you make difficult decisions. For help, contact the house supervisor at ext. 5315.

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 our volunteers. Please note that flowers and balloons are not allowed in Intensive Care Units.

Hearing Impaired

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

Hospital Safe for Valuables

Rutherford Regional is not responsible for valuables left in your room. All personal items of value, such as jewelry, wallets, purses, or money should be given to family members for safekeeping or left at home. If this is not an option, valuables may be locked up by Security at your request. Rutherford Regional cannot be responsible for replacing personal belongings.

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

A member of the Environmental Services staff will clean your room daily. If there is a housekeeping problem in your room, dial ext. 5636 or report it to your nurse, and we will take care of it as soon as possible.

Interpreters and Translation Services

Interpreter services are available for patients. Please contact your nurse for assistance.

Lost and Found

The Plant Operations and Security departments with RRHS can assist with any lost or found items. Please speak with your nurse or staff of RRHS for assistance.

Mail

All postal mail will be delivered to your room. It will help if your full name and room number are on the envelope. 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 must be purchased by the patient or the patient's family.

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 them, hospital staff will give them to you.

Parking

Rutherford Regional Health System offers a variety of parking options, including convenient handicap spaces and dedicated visitor parking. Patient/Visitor parking is provided in the main lot, across from the hospital visitor entrance. Additional parking is available at the Emergency Room and Outpatient lot for ease of access to the hospital.

Parking is not allowed on the front drive except when picking up and discharging passengers.

Patient Meals

"At Your Request" Room Service Dining

Your diet, like your medication and other treatment, is part of the care plan prescribed by your doctor. The room service menu is provided in your room and you may call 5525 to place your order at anytime you like between the hours of 7:00am - 6:30pm. If you have questions, contact your nurse. If you do not order room service, a standard patient meal will be delivered to your room at these approximate times:

Standard Patient Mealtime

Breakfast	Approximately 7:30 a.m.
Lunch	Approximately 11:45 noon
Dinner	Approximately 4:45 p.m.

Sometimes changes or delays in your meals may occur if you have tests or therapy scheduled.

Guest Trays

The Hospital does not provide free guest trays for visitors. If you would like to purchase a special guest tray for a visitor in your room, please contact a nurse or dial Dietary at 5520 before the meal hours to make special arrangements. The nurse will direct your visitor to the Cashier's Office where guest trays are paid for in advance.

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. If this is not an option, valuables may be locked up by Security at your request. Rutherford Regional Health System cannot be responsible for replacing personal belongings.

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.

Rapid Response Team

If you and/or your family have concerns about a change in your condition; you have spoken to your nurse or physician and still feel that something is wrong; or is something that you would call 911 for, dial extension 5222 from your room phone, and alert the person who answers by saying “Rapid Response” and your room number. This will bring a team of specially trained staff members to evaluate you. Early response may decrease the severity of or prevent a critical healthcare event. Ask a staff member to learn more.

Registration

Help us provide the best healthcare possible. Registration is the time that we collect or update your information that is critical to patient safety and also to quickly and accurately process claims for services you have received. Bring your insurance card and some form of identification such as a driver's license.

Know your co-pays, deductibles and co-insurances. You should check with your health insurance company or your Human Resources Department to understand the portion (out-of-pocket) you will be responsible for to pay your healthcare providers.

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 RRHS 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
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.

Telephone

All patient rooms have phones. To dial local, press 9 and dial the number. To dial long distance, dial 9+1, the area code, and the number. Friends and family can reach your room by dialing 286.5 and your room number.

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

Room Temperature: All rooms in the hospital are centrally heated and air-conditioned. If your room temperature is not comfortable, please notify your nurse.

Your Hospital Bed: Your hospital bed is probably higher and narrower than your bed at home, and your nurse will show you how to work the controls. Bedside rails will be raised to keep you safe, so please call your nurse before trying to get out of bed by yourself.

If you need assistance with anything in your room, you may ask your nurse to notify Plant Operations.

Vending Machines

Here, you can find beverages and snacks 24 hours a day. Located in the Emergency waiting room, Surgery waiting room, ICU waiting room, beside the Break Away Cafe and on the lower level in the Outpatient lobby 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: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm
Emergency Department: Two visitors may be present during the stay in the ED unless the nurse or provider requests them to leave the room for evaluation or treatment. If the patient is a child, both parents may remain in the examination room unless requested to leave by the provider.
Medical-Surgical Units: Visiting hours are 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU): Three visitors at a time will be allowed in the ICU from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Additional visiting hours will be at the discretion of the Nursing Director or Charge Nurse. Children under age 12 are not permitted to visit.
Behavioral Health: Visiting hours are 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. No more than two visitors may meet with a patient at any one time unless approved by the provider.
Pediatrics: Visiting hours are 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. One parent or other adult support person must remain with the pediatric patient at all times.
The Birth Place:
- Visiting hours are 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily.
- For patients in labor, up to three adult support persons may be present during the entire labor and delivery process if the patient desires.
- The main support person is welcome and encouraged to be present throughout the hospital stay.
- No children under the age of 12 unless they are the siblings of the child being born.

Visiting Overnight
Overnight visitation with a patient must be coordinated with the charge nurse and/or nurse manager and is only permitted under certain circumstances. If overnight visitation has been approved, you will be given a visitor card by the nurse, who will provide you with instructions for obtaining a visitor pass from the security guard. Please wear this badge and remain in the waiting room or the patient’s room at all times during your overnight visit. We reserve the right to revoke overnight privileges.

At Rutherford Regional, our top priority is safeguarding the health and wellbeing of our patients, providers, employees, and community. We continue to closely monitor the prevalence of respiratory illness in our community and follow state and federal guidelines as we adapt our operations to safely care for and support our patients.

Visitor Restrictions

Visitors who do not feel well are asked not to visit the hospital.
Those who do visit are asked to use good cough etiquette (cough or sneeze into a tissue or into the elbow, NOT into their hand).
Wash hands or use hand sanitizer thoroughly before and after visiting.
Visitors may not smoke in patient rooms or anywhere on campus.
Visitors must dress appropriately and must wear shirts and shoes.
People with colds, sore throats, or any contagious diseases should not visit patients.
Visits should be brief to avoid tiring the patient.
Visitors should maintain a quiet environment and avoid unnecessary noise.
Visitors may be asked to leave the room during tests and treatments or when the doctor or nurse needs to care for or examine the patient.
Children should be in the company of a responsible adult at all times while visiting the hospital.
Children are not permitted to stay overnight in a patient’s room.

The request also applies to pastors visiting members of their faith community, except in end-of-life and critical situations.

Signage is posted around the facility notifying visitors and the community of these restrictions and guidelines.

Wheelchairs

Wheelchairs are available on all nursing units, but getting in and out of them without assistance may be hazardous. Please ask for help from a member of the Hospital staff.