Patient Information

Preparing For Your Stay

Should You Fast?

Fasting means taking nothing by mouth including water. Your procedure may have to be cancelled if you are not fasting.

Has the correct accommodation been booked?

The hospital allocates accommodation in line with booking details from the Consultants secretary.  Requested accommodation may not always be available.

M.R.S.A.

If you have a broken skin area, are residing in a nursing home or are a known M.R.S.A carrier, please inform the consultant's secretary or the hospital prior to admission as this may impact on your procedure.

Please inform admission staff if you have attended the hospital previously, either as an inpatient or on an outpatient basis. This will avoid duplication of records.

Your expected discharge date will have discussed with you by your consultant. We request your co- operation in vacating your room between 9am and 11am on the day of discharge. This gives us an opportunity to prepare for patients awaiting admission.

Inpatient Facilties

• Each room has a television with a wide range of cable channels available.
• A telephone is provided at your bedside and calls are charged to your account.
• A nurse call system is installed in your room and can be activated from your bedside or in bathroom areas
• Newspapers and magazines of your choice are supplied on request and charged to your account.

Medications

If you are taking medications, please bring an up to date list from your chemist or your G.P. If this is not possible, we ask that you bring your medications (in their original packaging) to ensure there is no interruption in your medication regime.

Footwear & Clothing

Patients are advised to bring in well fitting slippers/shoes, not the slip on or backless variety. This is particularly important for patients undergoing lower limb surgery or those at risk of falls. We also advise that dressing gowns and night dresses should be no longer than mid-calf to avoid tripping when using crutches.

During Your Stay

Admission/discharge

Your admission to the hospital is arranged by your Consultant. We advise that you clarify the following with your Consultants secretary prior to admission. 

Visitors

No Visitors please during COVID restrictions

This measure is necessary to assist us in the protection of vulnerable patients and our staff. Exceptions will be made only for critically-ill patients and those with specific care needs – these designated patients will be allowed one visitor only. Thank you for your understanding and co-operation. 

Values and Beliefs

The hospital recognises the dignity of each person and respects each person’s right to individual religious freedom, personal convictions and culture. It is the right of each person to draw on their own individual spiritual resources in their search for meaning, purpose and hope in their present reality. The hospital recognises and respects that an increasing number of people do not have a particular religious affiliation. Spiritual care can include but is not restricted to religious belief.

In response to the individual needs of patients and their families, we welcome clergy of all denominations and representatives of spiritual / philosophical / ideological traditions to visit and support patients of their own faith tradition / belief system. All patients have a right to pastoral and spiritual care based on their own religious beliefs. 

Going Home

Your consultants and the nursing staff are available to answer any questions about your procedure, medications and your recovery. Your consultant will decide when you are ready to go home and will see you prior to you leaving the hospital.

You will be advised of your expected time of discharge, however as this may vary, we do ask for your flexibility in arranging collection home from the hospital. The person collecting you will be asked to complete your discharge documentation prior to you leaving the hospital.

You will need someone to drive you home and someone to stay with you up to 24 hours post your discharge. Please keep this in mind as you plan your hospital stay. A member of the Nursing Team will contact you by telephone following your discharge home to ensure that you are making a full recovery and keeping well.

It is important that you follow the discharge advice given to you. Should you have any problems or concerns then please contact a member of the Nursing Team on 061 490582 or your Consultant, contact as detailed in your Advice Sheet. 

Making a Comment, Compliment or Complaint

Bon Secours Hospital Limerick at Barringtons  welcomes comments, compliments and complaints from our patients and their families. The principal of using comments, compliments and complaints is an opportunity to inform service provision and to continuously improve the quality of care and service provided to the service user. All patients have the right to complain about any aspect of their care and to have the complaint investigated. Patients will be informed of the outcomes and resolutions where possible. All complaints, criticisms or suggestions, whether verbal or written are taken seriously, handled appropriately and sensitively and will be treated with the strictest of confidence. Please write to the Mr Jason Kenny, Hospital CEO, Bon Secours Hospital Limerick at Barringtons, Georges Quay, Limerick.

Reporting a Quality and Safety Issue/concern

A patient or staff member may report any quality or safety issue to the Hospital Manager or to our accrediting body the Joint Commission International by email to jciquality@jcrinc.com or by post to Quality and Safety Monitoring Joint Commission International Accreditation 1515W. 22nd Street, Suite 1300W Oak Brook, IL60523, USA.