Nursing Services

The Bedford Memorial Hospital nursing staff is proud to be in the forefront of patient care with a focus on research, education, advocacy, clinical practice and the use of human touch. Our staff is dedicated, compassionate, strong advocates for patients and families, and clinically competent in work that involves all ages, all disease processes and multiple specialties.

Bedford Memorial Hospital offers many opportunities both professionally and educationally. We believe that nurses are the best partners for physicians and patients, which results in advancements in patient care and improved outcomes.

Nursing Care

Imagine a nursing program that is known for its excellence in patient care. Visualize a place where the profession of nursing is based upon the respect of the patients it serves. Picture nurses who treat patients with integrity; and a hospital that defines the success of its program by how well it touches the lives it serves through compassionate care and respectful communication. Welcome to Bedford Memorial Nursing Services, where we continuously strive to give each patient the best care possible.

Our program at Bedford Memorial Hospital uses a patient-centered approach to nursing care, called the REACH model.

Research: Developing a culture of inquiry, analysis, application and evaluation that implements current research and evidence at the point of patient care.
Education: Educating to elevate standards of practice and professional growth and development.
Advocacy: Advocating for the well-being of those we serve.
Clinical Services: Providing safe patient-driven care delivered in a service-oriented manner.
Human Touch: Touching the lives we serve through compassionate care and respectful communication.

The REACH model provides a way for the profession of nursing to find better ways to improve the health of patients and the care they receive. This model is based on the Relationship Based Care Model by Mary Koloroutis and has provided a foundation for transforming care at Bedford Memorial Hospital. Through focusing on providing excellent, compassionate care and investing into research as well as continuing education, Bedford Memorial Hospital is committed to improving care by impacting lives one patient at a time.

Patient Responsibilities

It is your responsibility to provide us with information about your health, past illness, hospital stays and medicine.
It is your responsibility to follow instructions given by your physician and staff and to ask questions when you do not understand.
It is your responsibility to be considerate of the needs of other patients, and follow guidelines concerning smoking, visitors, noise and conduct.
It is your responsibility to provide information to the hospital about your ability to pay for services.

Preventing falls is very important to your safety.

Several things can contribute to the possibility of you falling in the hospital:

Your illness may cause you to feel weak and unable to walk without assistance.
Your medication may make you feel sleepy, dizzy, weak, and shaky.
Your vision may not be as good as it is at home due to different lighting, medication effects, not wearing your glasses at times.
Your room is not familiar to you. The bathroom is set up differently than your bathroom at home.
Your footwear is different than what you're used to at home.
The flooring may be different than what you're used to at home.

Always remember to...

Ask for assistance any time you feel weak or unsteady.
Do not try to get up or move around without assistance.
Never try to climb over the side rails of your bed.
Wear your glasses at all times unless your doctor tells you not to.
Be sure the light is on when you are walking in a room.
Use the handrails in your bathroom and be sure to always turn the bathroom light on.
Wear shoes or slippers that are sturdy and won't slip on carpet or tile floors.
Let staff know if you notice any spills on the floors.