Your Stay at Mercy Tyler
Mercy Tyler Hospital Welcomes You!
Let’s be honest…the idea of being admitted to a hospital can make even the bravest of us feel vulnerable or even frightened. That’s why our goal is to make you feel comfortable and safe while staying with us.
You can be assured that your health is our primary concern at Mercy Tyler, and we will do all that we can to make sure your time with us is a positive experience.
Open Admission Policy
Whether you are directly admitted to our hospital, enter through our admissions department or through our emergency department, your admission to Mercy Tyler is due to a request by a physician who is a member of our medical staff.
It is the policy of Mercy Tyler to admit and treat all patients without regard to race, color, national origin, religious creed or the existence of an advanced directive.
The same requirements for admission are applied to all patients. In addition, patients are assigned rooms within the hospital without regard for race, color, national origin or religious creed. There is no distinction in eligibility for, or in the manner of providing, any patient service by or through the hospital.
All persons and organizations that have occasion either to refer patients for admission or to recommend Mercy Tyler are advised to do so without regard for race, color, national origin or religious creed.
Mercy Tyler does not discriminate on the basis of handicap in admissions,
access to, or treatment of, or employment in its programs and activities. A
responsible representative has been designated to coordinate efforts to enforce
the handicap policy.
Room Assignment
Upon being admitted to Mercy Tyler, you will be assigned a room where you will receive care appropriate to your condition. We make every effort to place you in a room where you will be comfortable.
Most of our rooms are semi-private (two patients per room). Each room has
its own bathroom. Showers are available on each nursing unit. Some conditions
are more appropriately treated in private rooms and if you need such care,
a suitable room will be arranged for you.
Medical History
A member of our nursing staff will visit with you after admission to discuss your medical history. This assessment is important in planning for your medical care while a patient with us.
Getting Settled in Your Room
ID Bracelet
When admitted, all patients receive an identification wrist bracelet to aid and inform your caregivers during your hospital stay. Please do not remove this bracelet until after discharge.
Medical Equipment in Your Room
During your stay, you may be connected to medical equipment, like an intravenous pump. Please do not handle this equipment. If you have a question or need assistance, call your nurse, using the call button. Also, if your intravenous pump should start to beep, please notify your nurse. Pumps frequently beep and is not a cause for concern.
Call Button
If you need assistance from the nursing staff, please use the call button at your bedside. Each room is equipped with a wall speaker and a microphone. After you press the call button, a member of the nursing staff may respond to help you. If you are in the bathroom and require immediate assistance, please press the button provided in the bathroom to call a nurse.
Side Rails
The side rails in your bed are there for your protection and safety. If the side rails are up on your bed, do not attempt to put them down by yourself or try to get out of bed while they are in place. Please call your nurse for assistance.
Personal Belongings
Please do not store valuable items – such as jewelry, money, etc. – in your room while you are a patient in the hospital. Although we maintain a full-time security force, Mercy Tyler cannot be responsible for damage or loss of personal property. Please send all valuables home with a family member or talk with your nurse about safe storage.
Dentures and Glasses
If you wear dentures, you will be given a cup in which to store them. We suggest that you keep the dentures, cup and eye glasses in your bedside table when you are not using them. Please be very careful not to leave dentures on your meal tray or other areas where they may accidentally be lost or damaged. The hospital is not responsible for the safekeeping of your dentures or eye glasses.
What to Bring
Your own pajamas, robe and slippers might make you feel more at home while you are a patient at Mercy Tyler. You may also bring your own soap, toothpaste, comb and other toiletries you normally use. Some toiletry items are provided to you at admission, while most other items you may need are available in our hospital gift shop, the Kozy Korner. Some patients bring an inexpensive watch and/or a non-electric clock and photographs for use in their room. Also magazines or a book are welcome.
What To Leave at Home
Please do not bring any electrical appliances, large sums of money or valuables. Because of safety risks, electrical appliances of any kind are not allowed in patient rooms. If you have valuables with you, they may be stored in the hospital safe. If you bring medications, tell the nurse and bring a list of the medications you are taking and their dosages. DO NOT TAKE YOUR OWN MEDICATIONS WHILE A PATIENT AT MERCY TYLER.
Fire Safety
Mercy Tyler works hard to provide a fire-safe environment for our patients, staff and visitors. The way we do this includes preventative measures, including our building's fire protection system, staff training that teaches ways to reduce the risks of a fire emergency and how to handle such an emergency if one arises. In the event of an actual fire emergency, your nursing staff will give you directions and assist you if evacuation is needed.
During your stay at Mercy Tyler, the alarm may sound due to system testing or fire drills. In the event that this occurs, an announcement will alert everyone in the hospital to disregard the testing alarms.
During a fire drill, hospital personnel will respond as if there is an actual fire emergency. Doors that prevent fire from spreading will shut automatically and personnel will respond to the designated fire area. A staff member will provide all necessary information to you.
Telephone and Television
Each patient room has its own phone. There is no additional charge for local calls. You may obtain an outside line by dialing "9". Long distance calls may either be charged to the patient's home phone or a credit/calling card may be used. Dial "9" followed by "0" for an outside operator.
Because there is one shared phone per room, please be considerate of your roommate with the length of your calls and the time you make them especially in the early morning and late at night.
Television service, including cable channels, are offered to all patients at no charge. We ask you to be sure and return the "clicker" before you leave, as these are very expensive to replace. Again, please be considerate of your neighbor in the use of the television.
Nutrition and Food Service
Good nutrition is an important part of our patients’ healing process and general well-being. Our Nutrition and Food Service Department strives to prepare nutritious, delicious, pleasantly presented meals in a timely fashion. Patient meals at Mercy Tyler are served within your unit's schedule, but are usually:
Breakfast: 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Lunch: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Dinner: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Patients receive menus each morning on their breakfast trays for the following day's meals. If assistance in filling out the menu form is needed, a volunteer is available to help.
A dietitian visits on most days and is happy to answer any questions concerning meals or any special dietary needs. Family members may order a guest meal and eat with their loved ones by purchasing a nominally priced meal ticket from the cashier booth in the front lobby. Please take the ticket to the Dietary Department and the meal will be delivered to the patient's room.
Mail Service
Mail sent while you’re a patient with us is delivered to your room by a volunteer as soon as possible. Outgoing mail may be given to your nurse or volunteer. The last mail pick-up is around 1:00 PM.
Flowers
Flowers sent to you are delivered to the front desk and brought to your room by volunteers. Flowers are usually not permitted in the ICU.
Lost and Found
Although Mercy Tyler is not responsible for lost or missing items, we do make every effort to return items that are found after discharge. If you have lost an item at our hospital, please contact the Housekeeping Supervisor at 996-1128. This department holds found items for at least three months and will try to help locate your lost items. Patients are urged to leave all valuables at home and keep only a small amount of money with them while a patient with us.
Comments or Concerns
Mercy Tyler strives to provide quality patient care within a safe environment. If you or a family member have a comment or concern about patient care or patient safety, please contact us at 570.836.21261 and ask to speak with the Patient Advocate of the Day or e-mail to krbartron@health-partners.org.
The Patient Advocate will confer with the departments and individuals involved in an effort to successfully address your concerns. If, after completing the Mercy Tyler complaint process, you feel your issue is still unresolved, you have the right to contact the Joint Commission at 1.800.994.6610 or via e-mail at complaint@jointcommission.org.
But we urge you to please bring your concerns to our attention first.
Your Rights & Responsibilities as a Patient at Mercy Tyler
Every patient admitted to Mercy Tyler is given a brochure entitled "Your Rights & Responsibilities as a Patient at Mercy Tyler." This brochure explains your right to:
• have access to information
• privacy
• consent
• quality of services
• pain management
• equal opportunity
• your responsibilities as a patient
Kozy Korner Gift Shop
The Kozy Korner is located conveniently off the main lobby on the first floor. Primarily staffed by volunteers and members of various Mercy Tyler auxiliaries, it offers snacks, beverages, sandwiches, salads, newspapers, greeting cards, gifts, flowers and toiletries.
Hours:
Weekdays
7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Weekends
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Patients may request items from the Kozy Korner by calling 836-2161 ext. 160. A volunteer will deliver what you need. Gift certificates are available.
Pharmacy
During your stay at Mercy Tyler, your medicines will be provided by the hospital pharmacy. The pharmacy operates seven days a week, including holidays. There is a pharmacist on duty at all times and is available 24 hours a day.
In order to be efficient the hospital works on a "Formulary System" which includes a list of drugs approved for use in the hospital. The hospital also contracts with manufactures to get the best price for the drugs purchased.
Due in some part to the way drugs are purchased, sometimes the medication you receive may look a little different than what you normally take at home. This is because the same drug, if made by a different manufacturer, may appear different.
From time to time, the pharmacy may not have a particular drug in stock. When this happens, our patients may be asked to help by using their own medications. This most often occurs with newer medications, rarely used medications and with certain eye drops. If this assistance is needed, a member of the pharmacy staff or a nurse will speak with speak with you. Otherwise, you may not take your own medications while a patient at Mercy Tyler.
Besides providing your medicines, the pharmacy department consults with your doctors and nursing staff to insure that you receive the best possible care. The department reviews all medication orders for possible problems and keeps a computerized profile (list) of all the medication you receive. The department also provides drug information to the staff and helps prepare patient information as needed.
Pastoral Care and Lay Chaplaincy Services
Your personal clergy may visit at any time. If you would like the hospital to contact him/her, please ask your nurse or call the Mercy Tyler Chaplaincy Office at ext. 301.
In addition, Mercy Tyler operates a Lay Chaplaincy Program that offers specially trained lay visitors from a variety of spiritual backgrounds to spend time with patients and families as desired. Each day a Mercy Tyler Lay Chaplain (TLC) visits new patients. MTLCs read scripture with patients and families, sit and talk, notify your own clergy that you are a patient, pray with you, etc. as desired. They also distribute Mercy Tyler Teddy Bears to children, share inspirational materials and provide other services. If you would like a visit from a TLC, please tell your nurse. Representatives of Nativity BVM parish visit daily to serve communion to patients who desire this service. Please tell your nurse if you wish to receive communion.
Social Service and Discharge Planning
Under the direction of a licensed social worker, this department offers social/emotional support to patients and their families. The staff is familiar with community services available in the region that can help make the transition from hospital to home less stressful.
The social service department also assists in placements to nursing homes, personal care homes and other specialized institutions as needed and works closely with the patient, family, physician and insurance providers to make these transitions as smooth as possible.
Education
Mercy Tyler's education department coordinates education programs for patients, staff and the community. Many resources are available to patients and families to better understand a particular illness, condition, treatment or other issues concerning their health and medical care.
Bio-Ethics Committee
Mercy Tyler maintains a standing Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Ethics Committee that addresses ethical issues, educates staff and community on ethical issues, ensures protection of human subjects participating in clinical research studies and serves as a consultative body to physicians, staff, patients and families as needed.
Support Services
Many dedicated departments work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure your stay at Mercy Tyler is as pleasant and successful as possible. They include: nursing administration, housekeeping, maintenance, business office, medical records, administration, admissions, information services, human resources, risk management, infection control, compliance, public relations, accounting, purchasing, security and more. Each of these departments carries an important responsibility in delivering the comprehensive, quality care you deserve.
Mercy Tyler Telephone Directory
To make an inside call from a patient room to another department within the hospital, please dial the three-digit extension.
| Hospital Operator - 0 | Education - 281 |
| Administration - 152 | Foundation - 836-1640 |
| Admitting - 184 | Kozy Korner - 160 |
| Business Office - 221 | Physical Therapy - 217 |
| Cardiac Rehab - 270 | Public Relations - 301 |
| Chaplaincy Services - 301 | Social Service - 164 |
| Credit Office - 185 | Volunteer Office - 276 |
| Customer Service - 301 | Volunteer Desk – 188 |
| Discharge Planning - 195 |