Mount Saint Joseph Hospital patient & visitor guide

The cafeteria is on the ground floor across from the Green Zone elevators.

It offers freshly brewed Starbucks coffee, a selection of teas, cold drinks, sandwiches, hot meals, made to order noodle dishes, baked goods and a variety of desserts.

The cafeteria is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and is closed on weekends and statutory holidays.

Vending machines are also near the cafeteria.

Most patient wards have communal kitchens with refrigerators and microwaves. Some snack items and juices are also available.

Family members and visitors are welcome to bring food to you. Please make sure the food follows your dietary restrictions.

The Mount Saint Joseph gift shop is on the ground floor near the entrance to Prince Edward Street.

The shop is staffed by volunteers. All money raised is donated back to the hospital.

Opening hours are 1 to 3 p.m. daily.

The Cashier’s Office and Information Desk is on the ground floor at the Prince Edward Street entrance.

The Cashier’s Office can help you settle your accounts and store small valuables. You should leave jewellery, credit cards and large amounts of cash at home.

• Sick people need rest. You can visit often, but please respect your loved one’s wishes for privacy or rest.
• If you feel unwell or have an infection, influenza, respiratory symptoms or a communicable disease, stay home until better. 
• Children under 14 years old must be supervised by an adult other than the patient at all times.
• Visiting may be restricted to protect the privacy and rights of other patients.
• Staff may interrupt your visit to provide patient care.
• We may not have the space to accommodate a large number of family members, but we will try our best.

Your family and friends can send you messages through the hospital’s Well Wishes email service.

To send Well Wishes, they should email wellwishesmsj@providencehealth.bc.ca with your full name, unit and room number, and the message.

A volunteer will hand deliver the note. You cannot send a response.

Well Wishes notes cannot contain confidential information. We will delete any messages containing matters of business or inappropriate content.

Your family and friends can also send you mail, flowers or gifts.

Your address to receive mail while at Mount Saint Joseph is:

Your name
Your room number
Mount Saint Joseph Hospital
3080 Prince Edward Street
Vancouver, B.C. V5T 3N4

If you have been already discharged, we will forward your mail to your home address.

Please note: We cannot deliver flowers if you are in the Critical Care Unit.

Hand washing is the best way to stop the spread of germs.

Wash your hands before:

• Eating and drinking
• Touching cuts, sores, or bandages
• Touching your eyes, nose, or mouth
• Leaving your room

Wash your hands after:

• Using the toilet
• Blowing your nose
• Touching cuts, sores or bandages
• Touching garbage

You can also ask your health care providers if they have cleaned their hands.

Here are other ways to stop the spread of germs:

• Do not share food, personal care items (like combs, brushes, and razors), or cigarettes with other patients.
• Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow instead of your hands.
• Do not go into other patient’s rooms, especially if their room has a “precautions” notice on the door.
• Keep your bedside area tidy.
• Do your best to keep yourself clean. Wash often and shower or bath when you can. Ask for a clean hospital gown or pajamas if they are soiled.
• We might offer you a vaccine for flu, COVID-19 or pneumonia. We encourage patients and visitors to get immunized to prevent the spread of illnesses.

When you are admitted into Mount Saint Joseph, you will receive a patient identification (ID) bracelet.

Make sure the information on your ID bracelet is correct. Please wear it at all times.

Before all procedures or tests, we will ask you to identify yourself and check your ID bracelet.

Mount Saint Joseph is a public building with many people coming and going. Items can go missing.

Please send jewellery and important belongings home. If you do not have someone to take your belongings, we can lock up small items in the hospital safe.

For valuables that you need to keep with you, you should get insurance. Keep your glasses, hearing aids, and dentures in cases labelled with your name.

• Take any medication prescribed exactly as instructed. 
• The medication we give you in the hospital may look different from what you take at home. If you have any questions, please ask.
• Tell us about other medications you are taking. This includes samples from your doctor, vitamins, herbal medicines, diet supplements, natural remedies and medication you buy without a prescription or over the Internet (such as laxatives, antacids and Aspirin.)
• Know the side effects of your medications and what to do if you have problems.
• Tell us about any allergies or reactions you have had to medication.
• If you think you have missed a medication, please ask. 
• Do not take any medications from home without approval from your doctor or nurse practitioner.

• Wear slippers with rubber soles or non-skid socks. Most falls happen when patients try to get out of bed on their own to go to the bathroom. Ask for help when getting out of bed, especially at night.
• If we say you can get out of bed and walk on your own, make sure you have enough light to see where you are going. If we tell you to only get up with help, use your call bell and wait until someone can help you.
• Ask your nurse to make sure your bed is at the lowest position. Let your nurse know if you are finding it hard to walk with equipment such as intravenous (IV) poles.
• When you are in bed, make sure you can easily reach your call bell, phone, glasses, or anything else you might need. If you cannot reach something, ask someone to move it closer.
• If you need a walking aid (such as a wheelchair, walker, cane or crutches), we will arrange for one.

All patients at Mount Saint Joseph are at risk of developing blood clots.

Blood clots are gel-like clumps that form in your arteries and veins.

Sometimes blood clots can cause serious medical issues and, rarely, death. Once formed, blood clots can travel into other areas of your body. For example, blood clots can travel to your lungs and make it hard to breathe.

You need to tell us right away if you notice:

• Swelling, throbbing, cramping or redness in your legs or calves.
• Pain in your legs when you stand or walk.
• Sudden shortness of breath for no reason.
• Sudden chest pain that feels sharp or worsens when you take a deep breath.
• Blood when you cough.
• Your heart is racing, especially if you feel dizzy or faint.

To prevent blood clots:

• Drink as much water as you are allowed to consume.
• Move around as much as you are allowed or are able.
• Take any medication we give you to prevent blood clots.

The chance of getting a blood clot can last for at least a month after you go home from the hospital.

If you notice any signs of blood clots once you return home, call your family doctor or go to your nearest emergency department.

You can only smoke and use alcohol and street drugs in the designated safe consumption spaces at Mount Saint Joseph.

Please ask your health care team about these designated spaces.

If you need help with substance use while at the hospital, please let us know. We are here to support you with compassionate care during your stay.

If you or your family have safety concerns about your stay at Mount Saint Joseph, contact the Patient Safety Office.

Phone: 606-682-2344 ext. 66018
Email: patientsafety@providencehealth.bc.ca

You can also download the Patient Safety Brochure below.