During your hospital stay
Whether your stay at Fiona Stanley Hospital or Fremantle Hospital is planned or unplanned, the following information will support you during your stay.
Understanding where you may receive care
South Metropolitan Health Service (SMHS) is committed to providing you with the right care, in the right place at the right time.
Each of our five hospitals provides different kinds of care. As your clinical needs change, we may transfer you to another of our hospitals, or a hospital nearer your home for continued care and to get you ready for discharge. If you need to transfer to another hospital your treating team will discuss this with you.
Read more about where you may receive care (external site).
Although we will try to meet requests for patients to have a single room, these are first allocated based on clinical need. Please also note that planned procedure and surgery times may be delayed or cancelled due to emergency patients requiring more urgent care.
Planning for your return home
Within 24 hours of coming to hospital your treating team should have a planned date for your return home, or predicted date of discharge. Setting this date helps us plan your care and supports you, your family and carers to prepare for your return home.
If you don’t know your predicted date of discharge, ask a member of your treating team the next time you see them.
Read more about hospital transfers and support after discharge (external site).
Your patient rights
The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights describes what you, or someone you care for, can expect when receiving health care from SMHS and its hospitals. Learn about your rights as a patient (external site).
Smoking, alcohol and drugs
Patients, visitors and staff are not permitted to smoke, drink alcohol and take illicit drugs anywhere on our hospital sites.
Quit smoking programs, including nicotine replacement therapy, are available for patients – your treating team will discuss options with you before or during your admission.
Support for carers
We recognise the knowledge, experience and significant contribution carers make to the lives of the people they care for. Read more about support for carers.
Interpreting services
If English is not your first language, professional interpreters are available to interpret over the telephone. If you are a Fiona Stanley Hospital patient, call the Helpdesk on 6152 2222 to ask for an interpreter.
Pastoral Care Service
Pastoral care services are available to patients, families, carers and visitors at both hospitals. Read more about pastoral care services.
Supporting patients with cognitive impairment
About 30 per cent of people over the age of 65 have difficulties with memory and thinking. Symptoms may range from mild to severe, and it often becomes more obvious in an unfamiliar setting like a hospital.
Our hospitals use a cognitive impairment identifier (pictured right) is placed near a patient’s bed to alert staff that a patient has memory and/or thinking difficulties such as delirium, dementia and intellectual disability. Read more about how we support patients with cognitive impairment (external site).
Delirium can develop very suddenly and lasts from hours to a few days or even weeks. Our staff thoroughly assess patients with delirium to identify and treat the cause where possible.
Read more about delirium (external site), including symptoms, treatment options and how you can help a person with the condition.
If you can’t visit in person
Communicating and engaging with an older person in hospital is important to their overall wellbeing, but sometimes you may be unable to visit in person. Read how to offer meaningful support over the phone (external site) when you can’t visit in person.
Parking
Read about parking and transport options for Fiona Stanley Hospital or Fremantle Hospital.
Maps
Visiting
Find information for family and visitors about visiting our hospitals.
By working together we can keep our patients, families and staff safe.
Preventing infection
Please follow these simple hygiene and infection control principles:
- Perform good hand hygiene (external site), which is washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Never touch wounds, dressings, intravenous (IV) lines or other treatment equipment.
- Visitors are asked to stay home if unwell.
Staff are required to clean their hands before and after they have contact with you, your environment, and before and after all procedures. You and your visitors can ask staff if they have cleaned their hands before touching you.
Reduce your risk of falls
Your risk of falling was assessed during admission and may be assessed again if your condition changes or you move wards.
Read more about how to reduce your risk of falls using our Be SAFER tips (external site).
Preventing pressure injuries
Our staff will assess if you are at risk of developing a pressure injury (bed sore) while in hospital. If you are found to be at risk, your treating team may implement strategies to reduce this risk.
Read tips to reduce your risk of developing pressure injuries (external site).
Making your hospital stay safer
We encourage you to review the patient safety cards (external PDF 900KB).
Translations of this patient safety card (HealthyWA) are available in 24 different languages.
If you require this information translated into another language this be arranged by speaking to your ward staff. These cards are also available by your bedside for easy access.
Allied health services
Health professionals who are not part of the medical, dental or nursing professions are known as allied health professionals. They are university qualified practitioners who specialise in preventing, diagnosing and treating a range of conditions and illnesses.
Learn about the allied health professionals who may care for you, or visit the service directory to read more about these services in our hospitals.
If you think you need to see an allied health professional, please discuss this with your doctor or nurse.
Meals
During your hospital stay, we want to provide tasty meals that meet your dietary needs, recorded food allergies and preferences.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner meals are prepared onsite at both hospitals. You will also be served morning and afternoon tea and supper.
Read about ordering patient meals.
Mobile devices, photography and recording
Read about the use of mobile phones and cameras by patients and visitors.
Leaving the ward
Please inform ward staff before leaving the ward at any time. For your safety, please do not leave the hospital premises without your doctor’s permission.
Your property
If you wear:
- dentures, please ask the nurse for a container to store them
- glasses or use a hearing aid, please place them in the locker drawer beside your bed when not in use.
Please report any lost property to your ward staff.
Teaching opportunities
Fiona Stanley Hospital is a teaching hospital and you may have medical students within your treating team. You will be asked to consent to discussing your condition or being examined by a student and have the right to refuse at any time.
Donations
All donations are gratefully received. If you would like to donate to FSH please email email FSH Finance for more information.
Facilities
Our hospitals offer a range of retail outlets and facilities such as public phones and vending machines. Find information about facilities at:
Entertainment
Fiona Stanley Hospital
Patients at Fiona Stanley Hospital can use the patient entertainment system to:
- order meals
- use telephone services
- use radio, television and internet
- purchase additional wireless internet for personal devices.
Fremantle Hospital
If you are a Fremantle Hospital patient, you can hire a television for the duration of your stay.
Emergency procedures
In the unlikely event of an emergency, please:
- remain calm and stay in your room unless instructed otherwise – staff will direct and accompany you to a safe location if required
- follow any instructions from staff
- do not use the lifts in the event of a fire.
Security
Security officers patrol our hospitals 24 hours a day, seven days a week and closed-circuit television (CCTV) is used in certain areas.
At Fiona Stanley Hospital, help call points are available in the lift lobby areas of all the multi storey car parks – press the orange button to speak directly to security staff.
To contact security at:
- Fiona Stanley Hospital call the Helpdesk on 6152 2222
- Fremantle Hospital call the switchboard on 9431 3333.
Sharing feedback, compliments and complaints
Your feedback lets us know what is working well and what can be improved.
Read how to share your feedback.
More information
Find out:
- more about being a patient
- what to expect when it is time to go home
- more information for patients and visitors.