For someone who has never stayed in the hospital, some things may be a little confusing. Today I’m going to share with you 10 must-know facts to help you navigate your next hospital stay.
In the years I’ve been volunteering at the hospital or had family and friends admitted, many questions have come up about staying in the hospital. In fact, earlier this week, someone close to my kids was admitted and some of these same questions came up again. So, it seemed to me it was time to write a quick post about it.
Hospital Stays Are Not Fun
Nobody has ever said, “Woo-hoo! I get to go to the hospital!” Never. Ever. We know that we may need to go to the hospital. We may even feel a little relief knowing we’ll feel better after we’re treated. But to say going to the hospital is fun would be a big, fat, hairy lie.
Aside from the usual poking, prodding, hospitals can bring other anxiety too. Some people have experienced trauma (either themselves or with a loved one) at a hospital. Others might only associate hospitals and doctors with bad news and so they are afraid. Some would avoid the hospital at all costs because of germs and viruses.
What if you’ve never set foot in a hospital before and suddenly find yourself admitted? Everything is not so cut and dried. Obvious things for someone who has spent some time in the hospital are foreign to someone who has not.
The Basics
First, let’s cover some basic information. There are three primary parts of most hospitals.
- The Emergency Room (ER, Emergency Department, ED)
- Inpatient Care
- Outpatient Care
The Emergency Room
This is where a person would go in…you guessed it…an emergency. Patients may drive themselves, ride with a loved one or car service, or arrive via an ambulance.
You check-in at the ER desk and explain your emergency. At that point, most people will need to wait before meeting with a triage nurse to discuss what brought you into the ER.
After assessing your situation, you may have to wait or be transported to an ER room. In some cases, a brief Q&A may occur upon your arrival. Then, you will be moved via wheelchair into a room for some immediate treatment and triage. And later into a standard ER room.
Since the ER is for emergencies, the times spent here should be relatively brief. They will assess you and either treat and discharge or admit you as an inpatient.
Inpatient
The area of the hospital for overnight patient stays. These are standard rooms with a bed and bathroom for patients who need to spend more than one day in the hospital. After visiting the ER, if your care requires more attention than what the ER can manage in a day, you will be admitted. There are many departments within inpatient care (e.g., transplant or ICU).
Outpatient
You’ve probably heard this term as well. “I’m having an outpatient procedure done.” This is the area of the hospital where people who are not emergent are treated in a single day.
This includes things like biopsies, clinic visits, and minor surgeries. Outpatients have made an appointment and planned their visit. It is possible during an outpatient visit that a doctor determines that admission would be best for more care. There are also numerous departments in outpatient care (e.g., endoscopy or ultrasound).
Must-Know Information
Alright, you’ve got the basics down. Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. In alphabetical order, because I’m weird like that.
Bed
Inpatient beds are the bee’s knees when it comes to technology. Equipped with their own system, they manage all kinds of things (depending on the bed).
- The mattress rises and falls using air pressure. This helps to eliminate pressure points and bed sores during an extended stay.
- Upper and lower body adjustment is available for your comfort.
- Integrated call buttons for when you need help.
- An attached phone.
- Speakers for both your call button and TV.
- Remote to manage all the things that are on the side panels themselves.
- Height adjustments and wheels staff can use for treatment or transport.
- Bed alarms. For anyone who may be a fall risk, this alerts the nursing station if a patient gets out of their bed without help.
- IPC devices (usually hung on the end of the bed). These are cuffs that wrap around your legs and fill with air periodically to squeeze your legs. This aids in the flow of blood and helps prevent blood clots.
- Side rails for safety.
Billing
Remember when people would talk about the cost of an aspirin on their hospital bill? Those days are gone. Hospitals now charge a rate per day to your insurance company.
This day rate includes everything you use during your stay. Food, medication, nursing, and environmental staff are all part of the daily charge.
Surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other specialists may be billed separately. For instance, if you are in the hospital for a transplant, your bill might include your daily stay and transport of your organ.
Outside of that, you will likely receive a separate bill for the surgeon and anesthesiologist. Their services are not part of a daily stay.
Blood Sugar Testing
After receiving a surgical procedure, hospitals may test your blood sugar levels before each meal. This is a simple finger prick, but an important step in monitoring your recovery.
Clothing
We all know you are going to get a hospital gown, but in some cases, you will be able to wear your own clothing as well. I have some tips about this in my post The Go-Bag.
Hospitals will usually provide you will socks. They have grippers on the bottom to help eliminate slips and falls but they are also usually color-coded. Different colors represent different things (e.g., red/yellow=fall risk, brown=free to move independently).
Etiquette
Hospitals are usually full of people. Sick people. People trying to rest. Keep in mind that you have people in rooms next to you (or even in the same room as you). Talking on the phone or with visitors is great, but close your door and watch your volume. Avoid loud conversations in the hall as well.
Your care team understands you aren’t well. They know you feel frustrated, scared, and tired. It is important to voice these feelings to your care team. But it’s about communication, not berating. Remember that your care team is there to care for you. Being belligerent and rude will not help.
Food/Menu
Your diet is monitored by your team. Ordering off of the hospital menu not only simplifies things, but it may also be required. For instance, if you have any dietary restrictions, this can be managed easily by nutrition services at the hospital. Outside food should always be cleared with your doctor or nurse.
Menus in the hospital will also have foods identified for specific restrictions. Watch for codes that say: heart-healthy, renal, and low sodium.
You’ll also see nutrition information to help you stick to your dietary requirements. What you won’t see are prices. This is all part of the daily cost hospitals charge for your care.
In some cases, you may be able to order food for someone else and have it delivered to your room. This is not always an option. It usually requires some form of voucher or pre-purchase from the cafeteria.
For the sake of ease, visitors should buy their food themselves. They can then bring it to your room if they will be joining you for a meal. If your guest cannot afford a meal, they can ask about options for free meal vouchers.
Bear in mind it is a hospital, not a hotel with room service. The medical staff at the hospital are there to care for their patients. While this often includes working with loved ones too, it is for the betterment of the patient. Please don’t treat nurses and medical assistants as restaurant wait staff. While they are happy to help, they are there in a medical capacity.
Location, Location, Location
Staying in bed can be detrimental. Getting out of bed and moving around is always a good idea (unless you are a fall risk, then wait for help). When possible, go for walks around your unit or sit in a chair or on a sofa. The change of scenery is not only good for your physical health, it helps break things up mentally too.
Medication
Your nurses will administer all your medications. Make sure you know all your medication details and relay that information to your care team. You may find it handy to keep a list either on paper or on your phone.
Again, hospitals charge at a daily rate, so it is not necessary to bring your meds from home. In fact, most hospitals will ask that you don’t. Administering medication you brought from home requires a completely different process. It is more work for your team and does nothing but complicate your care. Administering your meds in-house is preferred and sometimes required.
Resources
There are numerous resources available to you in a hospital. Volunteer services may have books, movies, magazines, and comfort items. Patient resource centers may have computers available, charging stations, and printers. Gift shops will also carry personal hygiene items, snacks, and comfort care. If you are unsure of what might be available, ask a volunteer or call the information desk to find out.
Staff
There are a lot of people who could be involved with your care (or who are available to you). Oftentimes, the staff can be easily identified by the color of their scrubs. Different colors equate to different roles.
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Medical Assistants
- Physical/Respiratory/Occupational Therapists
- Pharmacists and Pharmacy Services
- Phlebotomists
- Nutritionists or Dieticians
- Social Workers
- Case Workers
- Patient Advocate Services
- Environmental Services
- Food Services
- Volunteers
In the Know
With these must-know facts at your disposal, you should find your next hospital stay at least a little more comfortable. Knowing you have resources available to you can help you eliminate some of the worry and anxiety associated with a hospital stay. Maybe you’ll even be able to relax a little.
