Patient Guide

We are committed to your care.

Our goal is to provide the best quality care. To do so, we ask for feedback from patients like you. You may be contacted by phone, email or text and asked to complete a confidential survey. Please take the time to complete the survey. Your feedback will help us know what we’re doing well and where we can improve.

Privacy Practices Patient Rights & Responsibilities Concerns About Your Care

Fast facts about your stay.

Support for Caregivers

We encourage patients to pick a key person to support them during their hospital stay. Whether you are that primary support person, or just one of many people caring for and supporting your loved one, you can play an important role in making sure your loved one gets the safest and best care both here and beyond the hospital.

Patient and Family Care
We participate in patient- and family-centered care. We believe that family plays an important role in ensuring the health and well-being of patients of all ages. Our goal is to create partnerships among healthcare practitioners, patients and families that will lead to the best outcomes and enhance the delivery of safe, quality, efficient, effective, and timely care.

What to Know Before You Leave
Caregivers can help ensure the best outcome for their loved one after a hospital stay by getting the answers to these three questions:

What is the next step for medical care (home or facility, follow-up with primary care physician or physical therapy, etc.)? Help your loved one arrange the details to make this happen—financial plan, transportation, scheduling, etc.
What new and former medicines does my loved one need to take? Help your loved one understand the details—timing, dosing instructions, side effects, prescription refills, etc.
What health warning signs do I need to watch for and what do I do if they happen? Help your loved one by writing these symptoms down as well as the name and contact number to call.

If you feel like you need a break or help, reach out to friends and family. And consult the resources listed here: National Alliance for Caregiving | Family Caregiver Alliance | Caregiver Action Network

Facts About Your Stay

Admissions

Your physician, a member of NNRH's medical staff, orders your admission to the hospital. Patients may pre-admit once admission has been scheduled. Inpatient admission hours are from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM. After hours admissions are processed at the registration desk in the Emergency Department. Once you arrive on the nursing unit, the staff will help you get acquainted with your room and your surroundings.

Patients undergoing outpatient surgery should report to the registration desk on the first floor in the outpatient lobby. Outpatient registration hours are from 6:30 am until 5:00 pm.

Expectant mothers may go directly to the Birthing Center on the first floor.

Advance Directives

Patients are encouraged to file advance directives for healthcare decisions. Learn more about advance directives from the Nevada Secretary of State website.

Bedside Shift Report

We want you to feel comfortable and cared for throughout your stay, so at each nursing shift change—about every 12 hours—your nurse will introduce your new nurse to you. The team will talk about your progress, medicine and tests scheduled for the day. Ask questions. The more you’re involved, the better and safer your care.

Bedside Technology

During your stay, you may see your doctors and nurses using computers or tablets. These tools help them care for you by providing around-the-clock monitoring, a variety of resources and quick communication with the rest of your healthcare team. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or nurse.

Cafeteria: NNRH Summit Café

Location: First floor, off the main lobby

Hours:

Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. - Monday through Friday

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. - Seven days a week

All visitors are welcome to dine in the cafeteria during these hours. There is also a vending machine with fresh-made sandwiches, salads, and more in the dining room which may be accessed with a credit card 24/7.

Calling Your Nurse

Your room is connected to the nursing station via an intercom system. To call for your nurse, press the NURSE call button located at your bedside. If you have any questions on how to use the call button, ask a staff member to show you.

Cellphones & Video

During your stay, you may see members of your care team using mobile phones. Our staff are permitted to use phones for work-related activities, such as communicating with doctors or other care team members. Employees are not allowed to use phones for non-work-related activities. There are many work related benefits of cellphones and other communication devices, including access to medical references, clinical tools and patient information.

Channel Listing for TV

2	CBS
3	ABC
4	NBC
5	FOX
6	Cartoon Network
7	Reelz
8	CNN
9	AccuWeather
10	ESPN
11	ESPN2
12	Fox News
13	Hallmark
14	CMT
15	TVLand
16	Animal Planet
17	Sundance TV
18	Discovery
19	Disney
20	Food Network
21	FX
22	HGTV
23	Lifetime
24	History
25	Paramount
26	National Geographic
27	AMC
28	TBS
29	TNT
30	TCM
31	MTV
32	USA
33	A&E

Concerns About Your Care

Please speak with your nurse or nursing supervisor if you have any questions or concerns about your care. If your issue still is not resolved, you may contact our Quality, Risk & Safety Department at 775.748.2133. You also have the right to file your complaint with either:

The Nevada Department of Public Health
Bureau of Healthcare Quality & Compliance
727 Fairview Dr. Suite E
Carson City, NV 89701
775.684.1030

Office of Quality and Patient Safety
The Joint Commission
One Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Website: www.jointcommission.org, then click “Report patient safety event”

Sometimes a healthcare choice can involve an ethical concern—such as a wish to refuse life-saving treatment or a disagreement over advance directives. Our medical ethics committee can help you and those who are here to support you make difficult decisions. For help, contact Administration at 775.748.2003.

Discharge

When you are medically ready to leave the hospital, your physician will write a discharge order on your medical chart. Your nurses and your physician will discuss discharge information with you, including special diets, medications and limitations on your activities. The case manager will arrange home care or other community services if needed. Your physician will let you know if an office visit is necessary after discharge.

Be sure to check your room for all personal belongings and reclaim any valuables from the hospital safe. When your transportation arrives, please allow your nurse to escort you from the hospital.

Electrical Appliances

For your safety, we reserve the right to inspect any electrical appliances brought into the hospital.

Financial Arrangements

When you are admitted, you should confirm financial arrangements for your care. If you have Medicare or Medicaid hospitalization insurance, please bring your policy, identification card, and other pertinent information. Click here to read more.

Fire Safety

We conduct fire drills from time to time. If you hear an alarm, stay where you are. In an actual emergency, hospital staff will tell you what to do.

Flowers

Florists may deliver flowers for a patient to the main reception desk of the hospital. A nurse or staff member will deliver them to the patient room from there.

Flowers may also be purchased in the Sugar Bush Gift Shop on the first floor of the hospital between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Flowers are NOT allowed in the Critical Care Unit (CCU).

Gift Shop

Location: First floor, off the main lobby.

Hours of Operation:

Mon. to Fri.: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cash, check and credit cards accepted.

The Sugar Bush Gift Shop is operated by the NNRH Auxiliary. The Gift Shop offers flowers, cards, baby items, toiletries, candy and more. The phone number is (775) 748-2015.

Hearing Impaired

We have services available for people who are deaf or hearing impaired. If you need these services, please contact your nurse.

Hospital Safe for Valuables

If you have a valuable item you'd like secured in a safe, please speak to your nurse or the admitting clerk. Please ask the nurse for a Special Valuable Envelope. Your Valuables can be placed in the hospital safe once you have sealed them in the Special Valuables Envelope. A two-part receipt must be filled out and signed by you or a responsible relative. One copy of the receipt remains with your hospital chart and the other part will be sealed inside the Valuables Envelope. The Admitting Department maintains a Valuables Log where your name will be listed when your Valuables Envelope is placed in the safe. Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital cannot be responsible for replacing personal belongings.

Hourly Rounding

A nurse will visit you every hour during the day and every two hours at night to check on your comfort, help you change positions in bed, assist with trips to the bathroom, and make sure you can reach your phone, call light, and personal items easily.

Housekeeping Services

Our housekeeping staff works diligently to keep the hospital clean and sanitary. If you notice an area that needs to be cleaned or you need additional linens, please inform your nurse immediately.

Interpreters and Translation Services

Interpreter services are available for patients. Please contact your nurse for assistance.

Latex Allergies

In an effort to prevent or reduce exposure to known allergens, thereby reducing the risk of reaction, patients found to be allergic to latex will be treated with medical products which are free of latex or will be shielded from contact with latex. To reduce the exposure of latex dust to patients and employees, balloons made of latex may not be brought into the hospital. Mylar balloons are a suitable alternative.

Lost and Found

While you are a hospital patient, please tell your nurse if you have lost a personal item. He or she will try to help you locate it.

After you are discharged, you may call the main number, 775.738.5151, to report a lost item. Please tell the attendant what department or room number you were in when you lost the item. Leave your name and phone number so we can contact you.

Please note that our hospital keeps lost and found items on file for four weeks, after which they are disposed of or donated to charity.

Mail

Mail and packages will be delivered to your room. Any mail received after your discharge will be forwarded to the address listed as your home. Outgoing mail may be taken to the nurses station or given to your attending nurse. The address for incoming mail is:

Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital
Patient Name and Room Number
2001 Errecart Blvd.
Elko, NV 89801

Medicines

Please do not bring any prescription or over-the-counter medicines to the hospital. All medicines you take in the hospital need to be prescribed, filled and given to you by hospital staff. Tell your doctor about any medicines you regularly take. If you still need them, hospital staff will give them to you.

We will need a complete list of medicines you are currently taking, including those not prescribed or ordered by your doctor. While in the hospital, please take only medicines administered by your nurse. If the medicines are not given at the same time as you normally take them, please let us know and we will try to do things as you do at home. Sometimes meals or tests may hinder your normal routine.

We use generic medicines when possible to keep costs low. Because of this, some medicines may look different from your usual pills. Generic pills are usually white and round. If you have questions about the pills or other medicines you are taking, do not hesitate to ask your nurse of physician.

Parking

Handicap parking is marked and available. Please do not block the pull-through area at the main or emergency entrances. These are provided as a patient drop-off or pick-up locations only. In each parking lot, the two rows closest to the building are reserved for patients and visitors. General parking is available to all.

Pastoral Care

A chaplain is available to counsel you in time of crisis, provide support at the loss of a loved one, or listen when you feel scared, lonely or depressed. A pastoral team of chaplains is on-call twenty-four hours every day who are available to support our patients' emotional and spiritual needs.

An on-call chaplain can assist in seeking information to help you understand your medical circumstances, can contact your own pastor, church leader or other care-giver to connect you with support from outside the hospital. The on-call chaplain also attends to your religious needs by responding to requests for prayer, confession, baptism, anointing and other sacraments and rituals as requested by patients, families, and hospital staff.

Pastoral care is provided by the on-call chaplains for people of all faiths, races, and ethnic backgrounds without discrimination for any reason.

If you would like a visit from a chaplain, please tell your nurse. The chapel is located on the first floor next to the emergency waiting room entrance. It is available to anyone who wishes to spend time there.

If you have questions about the Chaplain Program, please call (775) 738-1774.

Patient Meals

Patient meals are delivered three times each day to the bedside.

Because nutrition is an important part of your recovery, our dieticians prepare a variety of menus according to your doctor's instructions. If your doctor wishes you to adhere to a special diet once you have left the hospital, one of our dieticians can explain your new eating plan and how you can adapt it to your lifestyle.

If lab tests or x-rays delay your meal time, the nursing staff will be happy to order a tray after you return to your room. One guest tray will be provided free of charge for families of patients 12 and under. Nourishment rooms are available on each nursing unit. A variety of snacks and beverages are provided for outpatients.

Pediatric Care

For the safety of our pediatric patients under the age of 7, we require an adult to stay with them at all times. If your child is under 2 years of age, we recommend the use of a baby bed for the safety of your child. If you do not wish to use a baby bed, please let the nurse know and she will provide you with a baby bed liability release form.

Personal Belongings and Valuables

Personal care items such as contact lenses, eyeglasses, hearing aids and dentures can be stored in your bedside stand when not in use. Please do not put them on your bed or food tray to keep them from being lost or damaged. Leave valuables like jewelry or cash at home, or give them to a trusted relative or friend to watch over. If this is not an option, valuables may be locked up by Security at your request. Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital cannot be responsible for replacing personal belongings.

Public Restrooms

For everyone’s health and safety, we ask visitors not to use patient restrooms. Public restrooms are located throughout the hospital. Ask hospital staff to direct you to the nearest one.

Rapid Response Team

You can call a critical-care response team to respond if your condition worsens and you do not get the immediate care you need. Dial "0" to request this special service. Tell the operator your name, room number and your concern. The Rapid Response Team will be sent to your room.

Smoking

Given the serious health hazards of tobacco use, we have chosen to become a 100 percent tobacco-free campus. No smoking or tobacco products will be used while inside the hospital. Patients and visitors are asked not to smoke during their hospital visit. Smoking is not permitted in patient rooms, corridors, lobbies, waiting rooms or any other area of the hospital.

If You Smoke or Use Tobacco
While you are in the hospital, please do not suffer from nicotine withdrawal. You can receive nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or other appropriate support during your hospital visit. Please ask your nurse for more information.

Taxi Cabs

To call a Taxi, please dial 0 to reach the operator who can perform this service.

Telephone

The telephone at your bedside is for your use and convenience. To make local calls, dial "9" and wait for the dial tone, then dial your desired number. Long distance, credit card or collect calls may be placed by dialing "9" + area code and desired number. To reach your nurse, use your call button or call the nursing station directly. Calling from INSIDE the hospital? Dial the last four digits only.

Telephone Tips:

- - Dialing the Hospital Operator from your room - Press "0"
  - Placing a local Call from your room - Press "9" then dial the number
  - Long Distance & Calling Card Calls from your room - Press "9" then "0"
  - To reach an Outside Operator from your room - Press "9" then "0"

TV

Each patient room has a television. Please be considerate of others by keeping the volume down and turning off your TV at bedtime. TVs are controlled by the bedside pillow speaker or side rail controls. Closed captioning is available for the hearing impaired. Please contact the nurses station for instructions to change the settings on your television to closed captioning. Ask a staff member if you have any questions on using your TV.

Vending Machines

Here you can find beverages and snacks 24 hours a day. There is a vending machine and a soda machine near the restrooms located off the Emergency Department waiting room on the first floor. There is also a vending machine with fresh-made sandwiches, salads, and more located in the first floor dining room.

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours are subject to change. Please ask your nurse for official hours during your stay.

To promote healing and safety and limit infection, some units may limit the number of visitors you can receive at one time.

General Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Birth Center Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Intensive Care Unit: Due to the nature of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), visitation is determined on an individual basis. Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital traditionally practices an open policy; however, depending on the needs of the patient, visitation may be restricted.

For the convenience of your family and friends, Northeastern Nevada Regional hospital has waiting rooms for Med/Surg/ICU and Surgery.

Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times when visiting the hospital. In the Women's and Newborn's Services Department (Labor and Delivery), only siblings of the newborn under the age of 12 are allowed. All other children must be over the age of 12 to enter the Women's and Newborn's Services Department.

Please use caution when bringing young visitors to the hospital. Do not allow children with cough, fever, rash, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or recent exposure to illness to visit.

Visiting Overnight
Overnight visitation with a patient must be coordinated with the charge nurse and/or nurse manager and is only permitted under certain circumstances. If overnight visitation has been approved, you will be given a visitor card by the nurse, who will provide you with instructions for obtaining a visitor pass from the security guard. Please wear this badge and remain in the waiting room or the patient’s room at all times during your overnight visit. We reserve the right to revoke overnight privileges.

What to Bring

You will need to bring a small number of personal items to the hospital, such as pajamas, robe, slippers, and toilet articles, including cases for glasses, contact lenses and dentures. Bring your insurance card, claim forms, Medicare or Medicaid card or Military ID.

What Not to Bring

Do not bring watches, jewelry, cash or other valuable to the hospital. NNRH will only be responsible for these items if they are deposited into our safe. Ask the admissions clerk or your nurse about safe deposits upon admission. Please do not bring medications to the hospital. Your physician and the hospital pharmacy will provide all of your medication while you are in the hospital. However, it is important to provide your physician with a list of all medications that you are currently taking.

Wifi

You are welcome to use our complimentary guest Wi-Fi network. Simply turn on the Wi-Fi on your device, select the network labeled “Guest_Access,” then open a new browser and click the box to acknowledge the terms and conditions. You should then be able to open a new browser and access the internet.