🎙️ How Not to Die in the Hospital: Taking Charge of Your Healthcare with Dr. Julie Siemers

💡 Episode Summary:
In this eye-opening episode of Linda’s Corner: Inspiration for a Better Life, I’m joined by patient safety expert, nurse leader, and TEDx speaker Dr. Julie Siemers. With over 40 years of experience in nursing care, education, and executive leadership, Dr. Siemers is on a mission to reduce preventable harm in healthcare—and to empower YOU to become an active, informed participant in your own care.

Dr. Siemers is the founder of Lifebeat Solutions, author of the bestselling book Surviving Your Hospital Stay: A Nurse Educator's Guide to Staying Safe and Living to Tell About It, and the voice behind the powerful TEDx talk "How Not to Die in the Hospital."  In this conversation, she explains why medical error is the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S., and what we can all do to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

🎯 In this episode, we discuss:

• How communication failures contribute to 70% of hospital errors
  
  
• What CUSS words are—and why you should use them in a hospital setting
  
  
• The importance of asking questions and being curious, not combative
  
  
• How to speak up with confidence when something doesn’t feel right
  
  
• Why knowing your Patient Bill of Rights is essential
  
  
• How to access your own medical information and advocate effectively
  
  
• Why prevention is more powerful than cure when it comes to long-term health
  
  

🗣️ What are CUSS words?
 CUSS is an acronym to help patients and caregivers communicate clearly when something feels off:

• Concerned
• Uncomfortable
• Scared
• Safety issue

For example:
 🗨️ “I’m concerned about that medication…”
 🗨️ “I’m uncomfortable with what I’m seeing…”
 🗨️ “I’m scared this isn’t right…”
 🗨️ “I think there’s a safety issue here…”

These simple, respectful statements can redirect attention and prevent serious harm.

📘 Learn More About Dr. Julie Siemers:
Website: https://lifebeatsolutions.com
Book: Surviving Your Hospital Stay
TEDx Talk: How Not to Die in the Hospital

🎧 Listen and Subscribe:
Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and at HopeForHealingFoundation.org

🧡 If this episode helped you feel more confident navigating the healthcare system, please share it with someone you love. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help others discover the show and join the journey to hope and healing.

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