Inpatient

Accommodations

About Your Room

Your room assignment at Great Plains Regional is based upon your admitting diagnosis and the bed availability on the day of your admission.

Your Hospital Bed

Hospital beds are electrically operated, and your nurse will show you how to work your bed properly. Your hospital bed is probably higher and narrower than your bed at home.

Beside rails are for your protection. They may be raised at night or during the day if you are resting, recovering from surgery or taking certain medications.

Room Temperature

If your room temperature is not comfortable, please notify the nursing staff.

Calling Your Nurse

A button to call your nurse is located at your bedside. When you press the button, the nursing station is alerted that you need assistance, and a light flashes on above your door. A staff member will respond to your signal as soon as possible.

During the Night

Please stay in bed after you have been prepared for the night. Strange surroundings and sleeping medications may create a hazard if you get out of bed. For assistance during the night, use your call button.

Telephones

Telephones are provided in each room, except on the Behavioral Services and Critical Care Units. Patients may receive calls in their rooms anytime. Local calls may be made at any time from the room by dialing "9" and the number.

Long distance and toll calls can be made at any time by dialing "9", "0" and the number. Long distance calls cannot be charged to your room. You can make a credit card call or charge a long distance call back to your home number. Your family and friends can call you in your room by dialing 821-5 and your room number.

Food Services

What's for Supper?

Nourishing and well-balanced meals are an important part of your treatment and recovery. Great Plains Regional Medical Center makes every effort to provide nutritious meals that are prepared according to your doctor's orders.

You will be served breakfast between 7:20 and 7:40 am, lunch between 11:05 and 11:25 am and dinner between 4:35 and 4:55 pm. Occasionally, your meal may be delayed if you are scheduled for a special test or treatment. Whenever possible, you will be served after your test or examination.  If you are on a special diet prescribed by your doctor, you will receive meals tailored to your specific needs.

The Grill

The Grill at 1705 is located inside Great Plains Regional and is open daily from 7 am until 6 pm.  Visitors are welcome to eat in The Grill any time it is open.

Guest Trays

If a family member or a friend wants to eat in your room with you, the person may go to The Grill, buy a meal to go and take it back to your room.  If the person does not want to go to The Grill,  a guest meal tray can be delivered to your room for $3.50 plus tax. Please call Food Services at extension 363 for more information.

Going Home

Your Discharge

When your doctor decides you are ready to leave the hospital, a discharge order will be written. You may want to make arrangements with a family member or friend to help you when it's time to go home. When you are ready to leave, a member of the hospital staff will escort you to the front entrance and help you into the car. Some important things to remember are:

Personal Belongings

Collect all of your belongings and double-check closets and drawers. If you have any valuables stored in the Switchboard/Admissions office for safekeeping, call the operator for assistance.

Discharge Instructions

Your doctor and your nurse will give you instructions about post-hospital care. If you have questions about your medication, diet, activities or other matters, please be sure to ask at this time.

After You Are Discharged

There are occasions when patients need additional treatment or care after they are discharged from the hospital. To meet the special needs of these patients Great Plains Regional Medical Center offers some specific options.

Swing Bed Unit

The Swing Bed Unit is designed for patients who no longer need acute care in a hospital, but still require additional short-term care before discharge. Rehabilitation and specialized nursing care are emphasized.

Home Healthcare

Should you require a home healthcare agency, a list will be provided for you and the Case Manager can arrange for any care that you need. Your Case Manager or Home Health Representative can help answer the basic three questions asked by patients about Home Healthcare:

• What is home healthcare? Quality skilled nursing therapy services and home health aide care provided to you in the comfort of your home.
• How do I qualify? You must have the need for the services of a skilled nurse/therapist. You must be basically homebound. With your approval, your physician must prescribe home healthcare.
• Who pays for Home Healthcare? Medicare reimburses 100% for qualified patients. Non-Medicare patients may be covered through your insurance. If necessary, a private arrangement can be made.

Home Medical Equipment

This is a durable medical equipment company that provides a wide range of medical equipment supplies and oxygen therapy equipment to patients in their homes. There are several DME companies in our area. Please ask the Case Manager for help in getting in touch with one of them.

Inpatient Surgery

Morning Admit Surgery Information

From the out-patient area you will be taken, on a carrier, to the holding area. The nurse will verify your ID, ID band, and your procedure. In the holding area you will have your IV started and any preparation needed. The Anesthetist/Anesthesiologist will meet with you to discuss any problems or questions you may have. Medications may be given as ordered by your physician.

Next, you will be taken to the operating room and transferred to the surgery table. Safety belts are used across each arm and across your legs. You will be placed on a cardiac (heart) monitor, an automatic blood pressure cuff, and a pulse oximeter probe will be placed on your finger (this measures your oxygen level). When everything is set your surgery will begin.

After surgery, you will be taken to the recovery room for approximately 1/2 to 1 hour. The nurse will remain with you during this time. You will be asked to take deep breaths and cough. This is important to help reduce the risk of lung infection after general anesthesia. Your nurse will help you with these cough and deep breathing exercises. If you are having any discomforts, such as pain, nausea, dizziness, itching, etc. please let the nurse know. They will be able to help you with better positioning, warm blankets, medications, etc.

Following the recovery room you will be taken to your assigned room. Your vital signs will be taken routinely and your surgical dressing checked. The nurses will be glad to do whatever is needed to make you comfortable. When you are awake enough, and it is ok with your doctor, you may have something to drink. The cough and deep breathing exercises will be continued with the help of the nurses. If you are having pain or other discomforts, please let the nurse know. Medications will be ordered by your physician. Gas pain is often experienced after abdominal surgery and is relieved by walking. You may find you have a small drain tube close to your incision or a foley catheter depending on your surgical procedure.

We hope your recovery will go smoothly and you will be home soon.