Safety & Security During Your Hospital Stay

Saint Luke’s is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for our patients. Please review the following information before your hospital stay.

Smoking policy

All Saint Luke’s Health System locations are smoke-free environments—inside and outside. The use of tobacco, marijuana, electronic cigarettes, and vapes is prohibited in all buildings, parking garages, and surrounding grounds of our hospitals and facilities.

Fire prevention

Saint Luke’s maintains a carefully planned fire prevention program in cooperation with the area fire departments. Fire drills are conducted periodically, and will be announced on the overhead speaker. Please do not become alarmed if a fire drill takes place during your stay.

In the event of fire:

• Notify the nearest nursing personnel
• Call the operator
• Pull the nearest fire alarm box

Electrical equipment

Electrical items, such as radios, electric razors, and hair dryers, must be checked by nursing personnel prior to using.

Staff identification

All physicians, employees, and volunteers wear photo ID badges. Anyone providing care to you should be properly identified. You have the right to know the name, title, and purpose of visit for each person who enters your room.

Preventing infections

Saint Luke’s is committed to providing a clean and safe hospital environment for you. Hand washing is an important measure in infection control. Health care workers clean their hands with alcohol-based sanitizers or wash with soap and water.

• Wash hands often
• Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing
• Remind others to wash their hands
• Visitors should wash hands before and after visits
• Visitors should follow hospital rules for visiting
• If you’re in isolation, understand what your isolation means and what you should expect from hospital staff or visitors including use of protective garments, such as gloves, gowns, and masks must be worn
• Visitors should avoid visiting after exposure to illness
• Ask caregivers to wash their hands

Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Matters Program

Saint Luke’s is committed to providing a safe, comfortable environment for patients and employees. To protect you and your caregivers, lifting, repositioning, and transferring devices may be used. Please ask your nurse for more information about our Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Matters Program.

Helpful tips to reduce trips and falls

• Use call light to summon help
• If unsteady or lightheaded after rising, always ask for help
• Report spills or unsafe conditions immediately
• Ask health care providers to keep bed in the low position
• Move joints and muscles as much as possible
• Use devices such as a cane, walker, or wheelchair as recommended
• When up, walk close to the wall and use handrails
• Get up slowly, wear non-skid footwear, and keep necessary items within reach

Preventing violence

Weapons are prohibited on all Saint Luke’s campuses. If you feel emotionally or physically threatened, Saint Luke’s can help. Please consult your nurse.

Condition reports

Any information about your care should come from your physician or another team member. This information will be shared only with those whom you designate to receive it.

Lost and found

If you misplace or lose something, please notify your nurse immediately. After discharge, any articles found are marked and forwarded to Security and kept for 60 days.

Valuables

Saint Luke’s cannot take responsibility for personal property in your room. If you brought valuables with you or have not sent them home with a family member, please ask your nurse for a “valuables envelope” which will be stored in the vault in Security until you're discharged.

Please do not keep large amounts of cash, credit cards, jewelry, and other valuables in your room.

Cellular phones

Cellular phones are allowed in most areas. Please keep devices on silent when possible.