Welcome to MercyOne Acute Rehabilitation Unit. To help make your stay with us as comfortable as possible, below are some answers to questions frequently asked.
Mail is delivered to the unit daily except on Sundays and holidays.
Newspaper Service - A copy of the Globe Gazette is delivered to the unit daily for patient use. The Des Moines Register and a selection of other newspapers can be purchased from the machines located in the hospital lobby.
If you bring any medications with you, please give them to your nurse or have your family take them home for you.
Each room has a television set with a remote control. All basic network channels and select cable networks are available.
For the health of all, smoking is not permitted in MercyOne facilities or grounds.
Meals are served in the dining area at approximately: Breakfast: 7:45 a.m. Lunch: 12:15 p.m. Dinner: 5:45 p.m. Please keep in mind that mealtimes are flexible to accommodate your therapies.
Your family is welcomed to join you during meals. A guest tray can be purchased for $3.50 from the unit clerk or nursing staff for lunch or dinner. Guest trays will be delivered to the unit along with yours.
You may bring food from home, if it does not conflict with any special diet your doctor may have ordered.
Social visits may be made outside of appointed therapy times. The best times for visiting are evenings. Your therapy schedule for the following day is available on the schedule board by the nurse's station after 4:30 p.m. Visitors are welcome to call to find out a good time to visit or observe therapies.
There are various reasons why limited visitors may be beneficial for your recovery or you may find that you need more rest than usual. Our staff will assist in limiting the number of visitors as requested or necessary.
Comfort is key during your stay with us so plan to wear street clothes during the day while at the Acute Rehabilitation Unit. Loose fitting clothes, pullovers, and elastic waist pants are the easiest to put on and take off. If these are not what you typically wear at home, however, it is important to wear the style of clothing you will be wearing after discharge from the hospital.
A washer and dryer is available on the unit that may be used for your laundry and may also be included as part of your therapeutic regimen.
Basic personal hygiene/grooming products are available for our use, but if you have certain preferences please bring these items from home. Also, feel free to bring items that may help you feel more comfortable but please refrain from bringing expensive jewelry or cash in excess of $10. Check all electrical appliances with a nurse.
There are a number of group activities that are regularly scheduled throughout the week. Your therapists will refer you to the group activities if they feel it is appropriate for your therapy needs. These sessions may replace your individual therapy sessions or be in addition to your individual sessions.
When your therapists feel you are ready, a community outing may be scheduled as part of your therapy. Prior to the outing, a planning session is held with you and a therapist to decide where to go and to discuss the physical, cognitive and emotional issues involved in returning to your community activities. The outing(s) will focus on teaching you and your family/friends how to get around safely and utilize the skills you have learned in therapy out in the community.
During your stay, family conferences will be scheduled. Various team members, including you and your family, will attend the conference. The purpose of the conference is to:
Successful rehabilitation is based on teamwork. As an important member of your team, your input is essential in treatment and planning. You will be involved with many team members in setting the goals for your rehabilitation and in planning your discharge from the unit. If you choose, family, significant other and/or caregiver can be involved in the treatment planning, goal setting and conferences.
The rehabilitation team consists of many specialists who are working together to teach you and your family the skills you need to become as independent as possible.
Team conferences are meetings of all the various rehabilitation specialists that compose your rehabilitation team. During this meeting, they share information about your progress and address specific problem areas so that the team can coordinate a plan. At this time, the goals, which you helped your nurse and therapists to set, will be reviewed and discussed.
He/she will oversee your rehabilitation program in conjunction with the doctors who cared for you prior to your Acute Rehabilitation Unit admission.
The nurses will:
The physical therapist will:
The occupational therapist will:
The speech therapist will:
The dietician will:
The social worker will:
A member of pastoral care is available to:
Discharge planning begins the day of admission. Your concerns and plans regarding discharge are important to us so please share them with us early in your stay. Our average length of stay is one to three weeks. The discharge date is a team decision and is determined by the amount of progress made. Goals of discharge planning are to identify a safe place of residence, ensure that the patient and caregivers and adequately trained in essential skills and arrange for any continued services and equipment needs.