Today 3 Chics is featuring prominent hospitals and Black surgeons who served our communities. Check out the BRILLIANCE of these fine Black brothers.

Freedmen’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. was established in 1863 to provide medical care to former slaves, and other aged and disabled African-Americans. In 1868, it became the official teaching hospital for Howard University College of Medicine.

It was officially transferred to Howard University in 1961, by President John F. Kennedy and its name changed to Howard University Hospital in 1975. It continues to function as the teaching hospital for Howard University College of Medicine.

Of the first five faculty members of Howard University College of Medicine, Lt. Colonel Alexander T. Augusta, M.D. was the only African-American. He served on the faculty from 1869-1877 and is believed to be the first African-American to serve on the faculty of a medical school in the United States.

Augusta was the first commissioned African-American surgeon in the military serving the Seventh U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War and became the first African-American to head a hospital in the United States when he directed Freedmen’s Hospital from 1863-1864.

Please check out the rest of the history here.

And now for our video presentations; ENJOY!

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Of course times have changed and so has technology and medical practices. Here are a few recommendations for you and your family, should you need to be hospitalized.

Being Proactive pre-hospitalization

1. Take a tour of the hospital unit that you’re going to following your surgery.

2. Introduce yourself and PARTNER/HUSBAND, ADVOCATE to the staff, and let them know you’re coming. Date of surgery, etc. You are giving official notice that you arriving, so they’ll know and will be more attentive to your needs.

3. Let them know your willingness to recover and help with your recovery. Nurse will bend over backwards to help you, if they know you are invested in your care and want to get better.

4. Locate the kitchen, staff lounge, etc. so you and your advocate knows where it is. Knowing the layout is helpful and takes another level of stress off you and family/advocate.

5. Ask question and find out who is the Head Nurse IN CHARGE of the unit and also, find out who is the Nursing supervisor/or Director of Nursing and introduce yourself. If any issues arise, you’ll know who to take them too if no resolution with floor nursing staff.

6. Ask your family or advocate to pay attention to name tags and titles. Make sure licensed are providing you proper care. For instance, you don’t want someone in dietary giving you a shot. It’s a long shot, but RNs and LPNs give shots. And you know I’ll be there to look out for you too! When in doubt, ask questions; you have a right to know.

7. Ask the names of medications and what are they being taken for.

8. Staff giving you direct care should wash their hands before touching you. I know they glove up, but if they approach you and haven’t washed their hands, ask them to do so!!!!! You don’t need no stinking infections!

9. Ask the head nurse what is the infection rate of the hospital. She/he might not know it without checking, but if you really want to know, it’s worth asking and they should be able to provide you with that information.

10. Ask the doctor how will your pain be managed? Post-operative pain needs to be managed appropriately. It helps the healing process when pain is under control.

11. To your satisfaction, have all your questions been answered by your doctor?