During Your Stay

Admission & Accommodations

Admission
Upon your admission to Carney Hospital, we will work to get you to your room and make you comfortable as quickly as possible. An identification bracelet with your name and medical record number will be placed on your wrist for the duration of your stay.

Accommodations
Patients are assigned to a room dependent upon available bed space and the reason for hospitalization. We will make every effort to address any personal preferences you may have during your admission. Your health care team will quickly orient you to your surroundings, teach you to use the call bell, explain hospital routines, and discuss your plan of care with you and/or a designated family member or representative.

Hospitalist Staff
As a patient at Carney Hospital, you may be cared for by our team of hospitalists, which are physicians specially trained in the care of hospitalized patients. Working in collaboration with primary care doctors, hospitalists care for patients from the time they are admitted to the hospital until they are discharged. Hospitalists review care, prescribe medications, order tests and treatments, and coordinate follow-up care after discharge.

Nursing
After admission to the hospital, patients are assigned to a registered nurse (RN). Your nurse will direct your care based on the care plan that your health care team has determined is right for you. See our ICU Staffing Reports:

ICU staffing report 2023
ICU staffing report 2022
ICU staffing report 2021

Interpreter Services
Trained medical interpreters are available round-the-clock at no cost to patients, family members or significant others. American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are available as needed to meet the communication needs of our deaf patients via video conferencing. In-person ASL interpreters can be booked through the Interpreter Services Department with advanced notice. In emergency or short-notice situation in which an interpreter isn’t immediately available, we will utilize a telephonic and/or video remote interpreter. To contact our Interpreter Services Department, please call 617-506-4804.

Patient Advocate
If you have care-related questions or concerns, feel free to speak with any of your caregivers at any time. If you prefer, our patient advocate is available to discuss any concerns you or your family may have about your individual care or other issues. Call 617-506-2187 to speak with the patient advocate.

Visitors
Family and friends are welcome to visit you during your stay in the hospital.  Keep in mind the hospital observes “Quiet Time” after 8 p.m. for the healing and welfare of our patients.  

As a courtesy to other patients, please follow these visitor guidelines:

  • General Visitation - 1:00pm - 8:00pm
  • Behaviioral Health Units - 12:00pm - 2:00pm; 6:00pm - 8:00pm
  • ICU - Contact ICU staff to arrange visiting hours

Visits to patients can be arranged at any time by contacting a staff member.

To prevent our patients from becoming overtired and because of space constraints, no more than two visitors, age 12 and over, are permitted to visit a patient at the same time. In the event of a special circumstance or occasion, such as a birthday or anniversary, or for a visitation request for children under age 12, please contact your nurse.

At times, it is appropriate to limit the number of visitors or the length of the visit to ensure all patients’ privacy and rest. We recognize that there are situations when, because of a patient’s illness or condition, extending visiting hours is also appropriate. Please speak with a patient care director if you have any questions.

Smoke-Free Environment
Our hospital is a smoke-free campus. Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the premises.

Amenities

Meals
We offer a variety of menu choices for our patients. Our meals are prepared on site, and our recipes are created and prepared by an executive chef. Patients will receive information about their diet with individualized instruction provided by our registered dietitians. Hosts/hostesses will visit you daily to assist you with your menu selections.

Meals are typically served during the following hours:

Breakfast: 7:30am - 9:30am
Lunch: 11:30am - 1:30pm
Dinner: 4:30pm - 6:30 pm

It may be important to your recovery that you follow a certain diet given to you by your doctor. If you receive gifts of food, check with your nurse, first, before consuming. We welcome your comments and questions about our meal service.

Telephone and Television
Televisions and local telephone calls are provided free of charge in patient rooms. We provide direct phone lines for every patient room. If you do not know your room phone number, please call 617-296-4000. We provide these services for free to make your stay at Carney Hospital a more pleasant experience.

Cell Phones
It is the policy of Carney Hospital to manage the use of cellular phones and other wireless communication devices. The use of cellular phones and similar devices by patients and visitors is prohibited in highly-instrumented clinical areas and should only be used in common areas such as the lobbies, cafeteria, and waiting areas. If you do need to use your cell phone, please speak in a low voice to not disturb the comfort of others.

Mail, Flowers and Newspapers
Mail and flowers may be sent to an individual’s attention in care of Carney Hospital and are delivered directly to your room. Newspapers are available from the Community Care Pharmacy located in the hospital’s main lobby.

Wireless Computer Access
While visiting Carney Hospital, you may use your personal laptop computer to access the web. When logging on, you must first accept an online service agreement. If you need assistance, a quick-reference guide to the Guest Internet Service can be obtained from the front desk in the lobby. The guide includes directions on accessing the information as well as frequently asked questions about access, procedures, bandwidth and security. Please note that our information services staff does not provide support services to users of the Guest Internet.

Spiritual Care Services
Chaplains are available to offer spiritual support to all patients and their families during hospitalization. We have chaplains of various faith traditions on staff, and we would be happy to contact a clergy person of your denomination. Also, Catholic Communion is offered to patients, Sunday through Friday. Protestant Communion is offered to patients by request through the nursing staff or by calling spiritual care. To contact our spiritual care office, call 617-506-2017.