Episode 76: Practicing Hospital Safety

When people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are admitted to a hospital, it is most often not for their PD but for some other condition. Nonetheless, they have unique needs related to their PD that nurses and doctors may not be aware of. Thus, the patient or caregiver must inform the staff of those needs. A major consideration is the timing of medications. The typical hospital practice of dispensing medications every three or four hours may not work for someone with PD who has carefully worked with their neurologist on the best individual medication schedule that gives them the best outcomes. One helpful resource is the Parkinson’s Foundation’s free Hospital Safety Guide, which includes tools to help a person with Parkinson’s communicate what medications they take and at what time. The Hospital Safety Guide is the updated and improved version of the former Aware in Care Hospital Safety kit, which you’ll hear referenced in this episode. The Guide has new, vital information, based on research and feedback, prioritizing what is most important — staying safe and empowered when hospitalized with Parkinson’s.

In this episode, Edie Simpson, a retired neurology nurse from the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Phoenix, Arizona, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence, describes how hospitals typically operate and explains why a person with PD or a care partner must educate hospital staff and be an advocate for the hospitalized person to ensure the best and safest care possible.

To learn more about the updated Hospital Safety Guide, or for information about becoming a hospital safety focused Parkinson’s Foundation Ambassador, visit Parkinson.org/HospitalSafety.

Released: March 10, 2020
Updated: July 9, 2024