pay attention to care

• Tell your nurse if something doesn’t seem right.
  
• Know what time your child normally gets medicine, and tell the nurse if it hasn't happened.
  
• Request drawings or illustrations to help you learn about your child’s condition and treatment.
  
• Read and understand all medical forms before signing. Ask if you need information explained.
  
• If your child’s treatment involves medical equipment, have your child practice using it with the nurse before leaving the hospital.
  
• Don’t be afraid to ask for a second opinion. The more information you have, the better you will feel about making decisions.
  

• Ask About Jargon: If you hear a medical term you don’t understand, ask what it means.
• Teach Back: After you get instructions or an explanation, repeat back what you thought you heard so you can double check that you understand.
• Take Notes: Write down any key facts the doctor tells you so you won’t forget.

Watcher Program

We use the Watcher Program to identify patients that may be at risk of changing medical needs. We use information from nurses and families to get a clear picture of how their patient is doing. If a patient’s needs change, they will be identified as a watcher status patient. This triggers additional care and communications and allows us to respond as early as possible.