United Hospital Center’s healthcare team is here to care for your individual needs and help bring you better health. Our nurses, physicians, and other staff will work to make your stay as comfortable as possible. As one of West Virginia’s largest and most progressive hospitals, we are dedicated to maintaining a superior healthcare center with the belief that by dedicating our total resources to this purpose, everyone benefits: our patients, their families and friends, our physicians, our employees, and our volunteers. United Hospital Center employees wear nametags to help you identify them. To assist our team with doing a better job, please tell us if you notice changes in your health or if you do not understand instructions. Always feel free to ask questions.

Personal Belongings

We ask that you leave your wallet, jewelry, and other valuables at home or with a friend or family member.

Some items we recommend for your hospital stay include:

  • Pajamas or gown and robe
  • Nonskid slippers
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Comb or brush
  • Other personal toiletries
  • Containers for glasses, dentures, or contact lenses

You may need to bring a check or cash to make pre-arranged deposit or payment. Otherwise, we ask that you limit the amount of cash kept at your bedside to $5. Please send all other cash, checks, and other valuables home with a family member or friend. Another option is to check your valuables with the clinical coordinator; who will give you a detailed receipt and your belongings will be placed in a safe until your discharge. A nurse on your floor can also assist you with this. UHC is not responsible for the loss of any valuables including hearing aid(s), dentures, and eyeglasses that are not checked into the Cashier’s Office.

Helping Prevent Falls

Upon admission a nurse will complete a fall risk evaluation to determine if you are at risk for falling while in the hospital, and a safe environment will be maintained in the following ways by our staff:

  • Orient you to your room upon admission and throughout your stay as needed
  • Use upper bed rails
  • Make sure the bed is in a low position and the brakes are working properly
  • Remove any unnecessary furniture that could cause you to fall
  • Make sure that access to the bathroom is free of furniture and clutter
  • Make sure that there is proper lighting in your room at all times and especially at night
  • Clean all spills up as soon as they happen
  • Answer your call bell promptly
  • Make sure that all items you use are within easy reach (water, waste basket, urinal, etc)
  • Offer to take you to the bathroom frequently and if needed set a schedule for night toileting
  • Involve your family members as much as possible

However:

  • You should not use the over bed table to lean on because these tables have wheels
  • You should not take the telephone across the room as you could trip and fall
  • At night, if the staff deems it necessary, an alarm may be turned on to remind you not to get out of bed by yourself

Please feel free to express any concerns or questions you may have to the staff about your safety or care.

Use Of Cellular Phones

Patients connected to telemetry monitors should refrain from using cellular phones or they may compromise the staff’s ability to monitor. Cellular phones can interfere with patient monitors and with the nurse’s ability to see alarms.

Cellular phones may be used in all other areas.

Visiting Hours / Policy

Visitors play an important part in helping patients feel better and get well. At UHC our general visiting hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Visitation for designated support individuals may occur outside of general visitation hours. Obstetrics observes “Quiet Time” from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please speak with a nurse regarding visiting hours in special care areas.

UHC Revised Visitation Guidelines:

United Hospital Center (UHC) requests that all visitors report to the nurses station prior to entering rooms that are marked with any form of isolation precaution signage.

General guidelines for visitation at UHC:

  • Visitors under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
  • Visitors should self-screen for any signs of illness and are requested to wear a face mask.  Additional protective apparel may be required if the patient is in isolation precautions.
  • For the safety and protection of our patients, if a potential visitor shows any sign of illness, it is requested they do not visit.
  • Adult patients are encouraged to attend any diagnostic appointments alone.  Patients are asked not to arrive for their appointment more than 15 minutes early.

* Exceptions to visitation will be made based on patient condition and on a case-by-case basis by the department leader and/or hospital supervisor.

Clinic visits:

  • UHC is encouraging all adult patients to attend their clinic appointments alone, although one visitor may accompany the patient to the exam room and remain in the room during the entire visit.
  • Pediatric clinic patients may have two approved visitors accompany the patient to the exam room and remain in the room during their entire visit.
  • In an effort to minimize the number of people entering its clinics, UHC is requesting that, when possible, family members and friends stay at home or wait in their vehicles in the clinic parking lot during adult patient appointments.
  • Patients are asked not to arrive for their appointment more than 15 minutes early.

Overnight Visitors / Courtesy Rooms

Overnight arrangements may be made for the immediate family of critically ill patients and for out-of-town patients (i,e, radiation oncology) whose treatment program requires an overnight stay in Bridgeport. For more information, contact a nurse on your unit.