EmmiSafety

Hello and welcome to Emmi Safety.  This program is about getting involved with your own 
healthcare.  So listen closely, because what you’re going to learn in the next 5 minutes can help 
keep you safe. Because, fact is, the more you know, the safer you’ll be.  So let’s get started.

Give information.  Now, even if you’ve been seeing your doctor for years, other people on your 
healthcare team may not know you as well.  So fill them in.  Start by making a list.

Write down any health conditions you have like high blood pressure, if you have a device like a 
pacemaker, or if you’re allergic to anything like latex or shellfish.  Write down if you’ve had 
operations in the past like if you had your gallbladder removed or if you’ve had a C-section.  Also, 
make a list of everything you take, how much, and how often.  This includes prescription 
medication, aspirin, over the counter meds, vitamins and even what you take from the health food 
store.  Just because something is “natural” doesn’t mean it can’t cause problems.  And if you 
don’t have time to write it all down, just throw everything into a bag and bring it with you to the 
hospital.

Oh. and if you’re a smoker, drink everyday, or use recreational drugs, you need to tell your 
doctor.  Look, if your doctors don’t know what’s in your system, they won’t have all the information 
they need to keep you safe.  Bottom line.  And you should know that anything you tell your doctor 
is private.  

Get information.  It seems obvious, but if you don’t understand what someone’s telling you about 
your health, a treatment, a test, or a procedure, go ahead and ask.  Nothing wrong with that.  In 
fact, make it your job to understand.  So when in doubt, ask, ask, ask.

Same thing goes for medications you take.  If you are given a pill or some medication that you 
aren’t familiar with, don’t recognize, or don’t understand why you’re taking it, ask.   After all, it’s 
your body and your health.  So if you’ve been taking blue pills for a while, but you’re given a red 
one instead, find out what it is before you take it.  And don’t think you’re being rude or pushy. Just 
a simple…“Can you tell me again what this medicine is for?”  Or, “Can I take this medicine with 
other medicines?  Are there any side effects?”  Harmful mistakes can be prevented by asking 
simple questions like these.
 
Bring a friend.  You know how we don’t always catch everything our doctor tells us? Or we 
forget to ask an important question?  Happens to everybody.  Well, to help, it’s a good idea to 
bring along a family member or a friend when you see your doctor or go in for a procedure.  Think 
of this person as your partner in care.  He or she should be able to speak up for you, ask 
questions, and give information about your health.  But make sure your doctors and nurses know 
it's OK to share your health information with them.

Keep it clean.  Now, everyone knows that hand washing helps stop germs from spreading.  And 
germs can lead to infections.  Well, healthcare workers can accidentally pass germs from one 
person to another.  So simple hand washing or using those cleansing gels can guard against 
infections.  So it’s OK to ask nurses and doctors if they’ve cleaned their hands before touching 
you. You can help everyone by speaking up.

Oh, and if someone wants to visit you in the hospital when they're a little sick themselves, tell 
them to please just stay home.

Know what to do.  Now, when you leave the hospital after a visit, make sure you have written 
instructions so you can take care of yourself at home.  And if you don’t understand something, 
ask your caregiver to explain it to you.  You should know which medications you should take, 
which NOT to take, and when it’s OK to get back to your everyday routine.   And make sure you 
go to your follow-up visits with your doctor.  Staying healthy and safe once you get home is up to 
you.  After all, you’re the first line of defense.  

So, remember…
Give Information to your healthcare team about you and your health.  
Get Information.  If you don’t understand something about your care or your medications, be 
sure to ask.
Bring a friend.  Having someone else around to ask questions and remember information really 
helps.
Keep it clean.  Making sure your caregivers have clean hands helps you and everyone else.
Know what to do.   Make it your job to understand how to care for yourself at home and how to 
take your medications.  And again, if you don’t understand something, go ahead and ask.

Because the more you know, the more in control of your health you’ll be. 

So, thanks for listening, and I wish you the best of health.