Health Library

The Health Library is a collection of health and wellness resources created for learning and accessibility. Select a topic below for related health information or search for a topic in the search bar for more information on other medical conditions.

Hospital and Patient Safety

  • You know your child best, so learn how to assess your child's pain while in the hospital and to speak up.

  • You're part of the team that keeps your child safe in the hospital. Here's how to prevent a fall.

  • Learn how to talk to your child about his or her upcoming hospital stay.

  • If your child is facing a hospital stay, you want to do all you can to make the hospital less strange and frightening. Fear of the unknown can be worse than fear of the known, so letting your child know what to expect will go a long way toward...

  • Try the following comfort measures if your baby is hospitalized: Stay with your child, or visit often. Hold or touch your child. Talk to your child, and be involved in his or her care. This will help your child get well, and it will make you feel...

  • Learn what questions to ask when choosing a hospital to have a vaginal birth after a cesarean section.

  • This may sound obvious, but the best time to choose a hospital is when you don't need one. That way you have the time to compare all the hospitals in your area and think about what your preferences are. One local hospital may have an emergency room with a great reputation. But the hospital across town may have a...

  • Learn what you need to know and expect before your baby comes home from the NICU.

  • Learn what to expect and what you'll need to know to take care of your baby at home after the NICU.

  • Learn how your discharge plan can help you feel more confident about leaving the hospital.

  • Learn how your discharge plan can help you feel more confident about moving to a care facility.

  • Get tips for how to keep track of and prepare for your follow-up doctor appointments.

  • Learn why making a plan for getting help when you leave the hospital will help you heal.

  • What is discharge planning? Discharge planning helps to make sure that you leave the hospital safely and smoothly and get the right care after that. You, the person who is caring for you, and your discharge planner work together to address your concerns in a discharge plan. Whether you go home, to a relative's...

  • Checking in is the first big step in your hospital stay. Ideally, much of the paperwork will have been done ahead of time, before you even get to the hospital. The hospital or your doctor will let you know what time to arrive and where to go. Often...

  • Not all hospital stays begin in the emergency room. Sometimes you have time to prepare for a scheduled hospital stay. But even when you don't have an emergency medical problem, getting ready to go to the hospital may leave you feeling overwhelmed...

  • Learn three important ways to prepare for a healthier hospital stay.

  • Learn about help you'll get to manage your heart failure at home.

  • Hospitals can be big, confusing places, especially if you've never been a patient in one before. But by taking the time to learn about how hospitals work and what you can expect, you may be able to lower your stress and concentrate on what's...

  • Medication errors aren't unusual in the hospital. As an active patient, you can keep careful track of the medicines you're getting and help prevent mistakes. If you are allergic to a drug, check your wrist band. It should include all drug allergies....

  • Medication errors aren't unusual in the hospital. As an active patient, you can keep careful track of the medicines you're getting and help prevent mistakes. If you are allergic to a drug, check your wrist band. It should include all drug allergies....

  • During a hospital stay, you may have a higher-than-normal risk of falling. You might get medicines that make you dizzy and more likely to fall. You may get weak and confused because of illness, surgery, or treatments, and you may have a hard time...

  • Learn three important ways to prepare for a healthier hospital stay.

  • Learn how to prevent the spread of germs and avoid infections in the hospital.

  • Hospitals are full of sick people, so they have a lot of germs. And although health care workers do their best to kill germs and protect patients, they can't always prevent infections. Hospital infections can be very serious, especially if you're...

  • This article describes the measures that health care providers take to help ensure your safety as well as steps you can take to reduce your risk of infection in the hospital or clinic.

  • Learn three important ways to prepare for a healthier hospital stay.

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