During Your Stay

Hospital Team

At Cullman Regional, our uniforms policy will help you know what role each of your care team members plays in your care. Your care team may include:

Physicians

More than 80 physicians representing virtually every medical specialty comprise the Cullman Regional medical staff. Your admitting physician is responsible for directing your care. Consult your physician if you have questions about your illness and/or course of treatment.

Hospitalists

Our physicians may request your admission through our hospitalists. Hospitalists are physicians and nurse practitioners who specialize in inpatient hospital care. This is a service requested by your physician so that he or she can devote focus to patients in their office.

Nursing Staff

A registered nurse is assigned each shift to supervise your care. He or she may be assisted by licensed practical nurses (LPNs), nursing assistants or patient care assistants.

Rapid Response Team (RRT)

The Rapid Response Team assists staff, patients and families in case of an emergency and/or need immediate assistance while in the hospital. The team includes a critical care nurse, the house supervisor (RN) and a respiratory therapist. Call extension 2475 or 256-737-2475 if you feel your condition is deteriorating and you need immediate assistance.

Technologists and therapists

While at Cullman Regional, technologists, technicians and therapists from various departments may assist in your care. You may see professionals from diagnostic imaging, the laboratory, respiratory care, physical therapy and other departments. All are licensed and/or trained in their area of care and work under the direction of your physician.

Dietitians

Full-time registered dietitians are available to address your dietary needs during your stay. For more information on the team of dietitians, visit Cullman Regional Nutrition & Wellness Services online.

Pharmacists

Pharmacists are responsible for the safe and appropriate use of drugs within the hospital. Your medication profile includes a list of medications ordered by your physician and other specific patient information, such as allergies and weight. Pharmacists review the profile whenever changes are made in the medication regimen.

Case managers

Hospitalization may cause added stress for you and your family. Professional case managers are available to provide guidance and counseling to patients and families with social, financial, environmental, vocational or psychological concerns. They also assist with discharge planning and advise patients and families about community resources. All information remains confidential. There is no charge for these services.

Clergy

Your personal faith can be very valuable in the healing process. Studies have indicated that a positive outlook on life may actually speed up physical recovery in many cases. Clergy from the area visit the hospital every day. They are invited to visit patients from their congregation at any time.

Our hospital chaplains are always ready to assist with your spiritual needs, 24 hours a day. They are trained to minister to all denominations and to those who may be of no particular faith. Your nurse can help you contact a chaplain. For more information or to request a chaplain, you may visit click here.

Adult volunteers

Dedicated men and women volunteer their time and talents to the hospital. The Auxiliary contributes thousands of hours to the hospital each year with a variety of services. These volunteers deliver plants, flowers and patient mail; serve as hostesses in the waiting rooms; and escort ambulatory patients as needed. For more information on volunteer opportunities and services, click here.

Other staff

You may come in contact with a variety of staff members at Cullman Regional. All staff members affiliated with Cullman Regional wear an identification badge displaying a name and photo. Feel free to ask the names and duties of any person involved in your care.

Discharge Planning

Our Case Management and Discharge Planning Services staff is available to help you secure continued care after discharge. Our case managers and discharge planners are nurses with experience in both nursing and discharge planning. They are available seven days a week and will come to your room to discuss your needs and help with arrangements. You may reach Case Management at 256-737-2399.

Please make advanced arrangements to have someone pick you up on the day you will be discharged. When your physician has issued discharge orders and you are ready to leave the hospital, the nursing staff will explain discharge instructions and prescriptions. A staff member will also escort you and your belongings to the door, where your family member or friend can pick you up.

Critical Care Center (CCU): 256-737-2475
Emergency Services Center: 256-737-2100
Maternity: 256-737-2200
Medical/Surgical Center/3-East: 256-737-2400
Medical Surgical Center/3-West: 256-737-2375
Medical Surgical Center/4-East: 256-737-2400
Medical Surgical Center/5-East:  256-735-5800
Pre-Admission Testing: 256-737-2280
One Day Surgery: 256-737-2257

Safety Tips and Precautions

At Cullman Regional, we strive to maintain a safe and secure environment for all patients and visitors. Please assist us by asking questions and actively participating in your care and treatment. Here are a few safety tips for you while you are here in the hospital:

• If a caregiver does not check your armband to verify your ID, please ask him/her to do so.
• Please make sure your nurse knows about any known allergies.
• If the medicine you are receiving looks different than what you expect, please ask the nurse about it.
• When you are discharged, please make sure your physician talks to you about the medicine you will be taking, its purpose and how much you should take.

For your safety and security

Cullman Regional is not responsible for money, dentures, hearing aids, eyeglasses, clothing or other valuables left in your room or on your food tray. Valuables may be kept in the hospital safe upon request. For more information, contact Guest Relations at 256-737-2195.

Hospital Safety & Security

Cullman Regional provides security services for staff and patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through on-site or on-call security guards. We utilize the latest technology to assist in keeping you safe and secure while in our facility. For instance, we are able to automatically lock all external entrances to the hospital at 8 p.m. and automatically unlock those entrances at 6 a.m. After-hour visitors (between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.) must enter through the Emergency entrance.

Smoking and Tobacco Use

In order to provide a safe environment that is conducive to comfort and healing for our patients, and in keeping with our mission to promote good health, Cullman Regional Medical Center is a tobacco-free campus. The use of tobacco of any kind (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, snuff) is prohibited anywhere on the Cullman Regional campus, including any area inside the main loop road that encircles the campus. For the comfort of our tobacco-using patients, with your physician’s approval, we offer a nicotine patch to help you through your hospital stay. We can also provide tobacco-cessation information.

Patient Concerns

At Cullman Regional, we are committed to providing quality healthcare and medical services in a caring, safe and supportive environment. Our goal is to provide an exceptional experience during your stay at Cullman Regional. If at any time, you have a question or concern, you may:

1. Press the call button to speak to your nurse.
2. Ask to speak to the Charge Nurse, Nurse Manager or Unit Director.
3. If your needs remain unmet, ask you nurse to or contact the House Supervisor at 256-737-2736.
4. If your needs remain unmet, contact the Cullman Regional Patient Advocate at 256-737-2591.
5. You may also direct correspondence to:
   Cullman Regional Quality Department
   PO Box 1108
   Cullman, AL 35056-1108
6. You may also direct correspondance to The Joint Commission
   • At jointcommission.org, using the “Report a Patient Safety Event” link
   • By fax: 630-792-5636
   • By mail: Office of Quality and Patient Safety, The Joint Commission
     • One Renaissance Boulevard, Oakbrook Terrace, IL, 60181

Patient Advocates

While you are a patient here, we strive to make your stay smooth and uneventful. Yet, at times you may not understand what’s happening, the staff may seem busy, or you may not know the right person to talk with.

Our patient advocate is someone you can turn to with questions, concerns or complaints. Your feedback is important to our performance improvement efforts, in both clinical and service quality.
Call 256-737-2591 or click here to send an e-mail.

How the patient advocate can help

• Answering questions you may have about policies and procedures
• Assisting in the resolution of any problems, special needs or concerns
• Ensuring open lines of communication between you and hospital staff

Every effort will be made to acknowledge your concerns in a timely manner. We have a designated quality review process to assure that appropriate standard of care is met with all patients. If our investigation takes longer than expected, we will contact you by mail, e-mail or telephone with an approximate date of when you can expect our findings.