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Hospital hints
Going to the hospital is like traveling to another country. Learning more about hospitals and the people who work there may help make your hospital stay less stressful. The following some hints:
What to bring
Pack as little as you can, but be sure to bring:
• nightclothes, bathrobe, and sturdy slippers (label all personal items)
• comfortable clothes to wear home
• a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, comb and brush, deodorant, and razor
• a list of your medicines, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs
• details of past illnesses, surgeries, and any allergies
• your health insurance card
• a list of the names and telephone numbers (home and business) of family members to contact in an emergency
• $10 or less for newspapers, magazines, or other items you may wish to buy in the hospital gift shop
What to leave home
Leave cash, jewelry (including wedding rings, earrings, and watches), credit cards, and checkbooks at home or have a family member or friend keep them for you. In addition, leave electric razors, hair dryers, and curling irons at home.
Hospital staff
Doctors are in charge of your overall care. You’ll have an attending physician, who may be your primary doctor, a doctor on the hospital staff to whom you’ve been referred, or a specialist. In a teaching hospital (where doctors train), several doctors care for each patient. For example, the attending physician directs the house staff - medical students, residents (doctors who have recently graduated from medical school), and fellows (doctors who receive training in a special area of medicine or surgery after their residency training).
Nurses - registered nurses, nurse practitioners, licensed practical nurses, nurse’s aides, and nursing students - provide many patient-care services. For example, nurses give medicines, check vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, and pulse), provide treatments, and teach patients to care for themselves.
Physical therapists teach patients how to build muscles, increase flexibility, and improve coordination.
Occupational therapists work with patients to restore, maintain, or increase their ability to perform daily tasks such as cooking, eating, bathing, and dressing.
Respiratory therapists prevent and treat breathing problems. For example, they teach patients exercises to help prevent lung infections after surgery.
Social workers offer support to patients and their families. They can help patients and families learn about home-care, social services, and support groups.
Discharge planners help patients arrange for health and home care needs after they go home from the hospital.
Safety tips
Because you may feel weak or tired:
• Use the call bell or button when you need help.
• Use the controls to lower your bed before getting in or out.
• Be careful not to trip over the wires and tubes that may be around the bed.
• Try to keep the things you need within easy reach.
• Take only prescribed medicines. If you bring your own medicines with you, tell your nurse or doctor. Don’t take other drugs without your doctor’s permission.
• Hold on to grab bars for support when getting in and out of the bathtub or shower.
• Use handrails on stairways and in hallways.
Questions
During your hospital stay, you’ll probably have many questions about your care. Always feel free to ask your doctor, your nurse or social worker.
Write down your questions as you think of them. You may want to ask some or all of the following questions:
• What will this test tell you? Why is it needed, and when will you know the results?
• What treatment is needed, and how long will it last?
• What are the benefits and risks of treatment?
• When can I go home?
• When I go home, will I have to change my regular activities or my diet?
• How often will I need checkups?
• Is any other follow-up needed?
Patient rights
You can decide in advance what medical treatments you want or don’t want in the hospital in case you lose your ability to speak for yourself. You can do this by preparing an advance directive. In an advance directive, you tell people how to make medical decisions for you when you can’t make them for yourself. You also can name someone else to make medical decisions for you. Two common advance directives are a living will and a durable power of attorney for health care.
In a living will, you write down the kind of medical care you want (or don’t want) in case you are unable to make your own decisions. It’s called a living will because it takes effect while you are still alive.
In a durable power of attorney for health care, you name someone else (a family member or friend, for example) to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to make them for yourself. You also can include instructions about any treatment you want to avoid.
If you have an advance directive, tell your family and make sure they know where it’s located. Also, tell your doctor and make sure that the advance directive is part of your medical records. If you have a durable power of attorney for health care, give a copy to the person you’ve chosen to act on your behalf.
If you need help to prepare an advance directive or if you would like more information about them, contact your doctor or lawyer.
Discharge planning
Before going home, you’ll need discharge orders from your doctor and a release form from the hospital business office. Discharge planning before leaving the hospital can help you prepare for your health and home-care needs after you go home. The discharge planner can help you arrange for a visiting nurse, hospital equipment, Meals-on-Wheels, or other services. The discharge planner also knows about senior centers, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, and other long-term care services.
The article was drawn from information provided by the National Institute on Aging, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, and National Institutes of Health.