{"id":3087,"date":"2017-05-09T16:47:51","date_gmt":"2017-05-09T16:47:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/?p=3087"},"modified":"2017-05-09T16:48:02","modified_gmt":"2017-05-09T16:48:02","slug":"get-ready-for-a-hospital-stay-with-these-simple-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/get-ready-for-a-hospital-stay-with-these-simple-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Get ready for a hospital stay with these simple tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

If your doctor told you today that you needed to go to a hospital, would you be ready? The chances are that you wouldn\u2019t – it\u2019s not something the vast majority of people even consider, let alone prepare for. But as with everything in life, the more you are ready, the better the outcome.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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So here are or top tips for preparing yourself for a hospital visit, to ensure your stay is safe and as comfortable as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

THINK ‘FIT’<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whatever the reasons for your stay in a hospital, the fitter you are, the <\/span>faster you will recover<\/span><\/a>. As a rule, you will know about your admission weeks or even months in advance, so you should have time to get yourself in better shape. Ask your doctor about the <\/span>level of exercise<\/span><\/a> you should be doing, and also take care of what you are eating. If you smoke, stop – it\u2019s that simple – as it will help your lungs, heart, and ability to recover from wounds or illnesses much faster. <\/span><\/p>\n

QUESTION YOUR DOCTOR<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you are worried about your treatment pathway, now is the time to ask questions. Your doctor will be happy to share everything they know, and it is essential that you understand what they are suggesting. You can also ask for a second opinion on your treatment. Again, doctors will be happy for this to happen – in fact, they expect it. It\u2019s vital that you have a thorough understanding of your illness, the procedure, and what to expect – it will help give you the confidence you need to have a more comfortable stay in a hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n

BE HONEST<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you are going to a hospital for a procedure, it is essential that you are honest and open about your current health situation. Hold nothing back – from your drinking habits through to any other medical conditions, no matter how embarrassing. In an operation environment, you have to remember that your life is in the hands of the medical team, and the more they know about you and your body the better your outcome will be. Yes, it can be uncomfortable to reveal your private details, but there is nothing you can say that will shock a doctor – they will have seen everything before.<\/span><\/p>\n

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PRE-OP ASSESSMENT<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you are having a surgical procedure, you will need to attend a <\/span>pre-operative evaluation<\/span><\/a>. It might be an appointment with a doctor or nurse that takes place in person or on the phone, and it\u2019s at this point that you will get all the vital information you need. The doctor or nurse will give you instructions about when to stop eating and drinking, and may also tell you to stop taking any of your regular medication. <\/span><\/p>\n

PACKING<\/strong><\/p>\n

After your assessment, you should have a good idea on the length of your hospital stay. Depending on the number of nights you expect to be in, you will need a whole variety of clothes and belongings, from comfortable bed wear and day clothes through to books and magazines. You should also make sure that you understand your hospital\u2019s rules on electronic devices – some may not allow them if they interfere with specialised hospital equipment. <\/span><\/p>\n

FASTING AND HYGIENE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most hospital procedures will require you to fast, and it\u2019s vital that you take these instructions seriously. The importance of an empty stomach and bladder is essential when you undergo a surgical procedure, as <\/span>anaesthetic could cause you to be sick<\/span><\/a> while the operation is taking place. It\u2019s also important to go into hospital as hygienically as possible. Make sure you are well showered and clean, and also remove any piercings or makeup that you are wearing.<\/span><\/p>\n

GET SOME SUPPORT<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a good idea to prepare your friends or relatives. Hospital stays can be a lonely experience, and the more visitors you have, the better. Make sure that you have someone willing to look after your home while you are away, too – feeding the cats or dogs and picking up post, for example. There will be a few things that you might have to let slide, of course, but try not to worry about issues like mowing your lawn, for example. Ultimately, your health and wellness take priority over everything else. <\/span><\/p>\n

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ARRANGING TRAVEL<\/strong><\/p>\n

Depending on your condition, you may need to arrange travel both to and from the hospital. Bear in mind that most car parks will charge you for using them so it might be better for you to arrange for a family member or friend to give you a lift if the hospital doesn’t arrange an ambulance. <\/span><\/p>\n

ARRIVING AT HOSPITAL<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to be ready for anything when you go into hospital, and as scary as it might be it is always best to know how the land lies. Find out who is in charge, and introduce yourself to your care team. Take notes, too – in some cases, however unlikely, there may be occasions when you need evidence for <\/span>medical negligence claims<\/span><\/a>. If you have a relative or helper with you, they can take notes on your behalf. Hospital staff certainly aren\u2019t out to hurt you, but sadly, mistakes do happen on occasions. You can ensure that you avoid many of these incidents by looking out for yourself – monitor your medication, guard against infection as much as possible, and always ask questions about what is happening. <\/span><\/p>\n

SPEAK UP<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you feel uncomfortable or worried at any point, don\u2019t be afraid to speak out. For example, a lot of patients report that their pain relief wasn\u2019t enough after their operation, so don\u2019t settle for \u2018just enough\u2019 – always be clear about what you are experiencing. <\/span><\/p>\n

GET UP<\/strong><\/p>\n

After your procedure, the quicker you get up and start moving, the better. Most hospitals will encourage you to start light physical activity as soon as possible, so try to avoid feeling sorry for yourself. There are good medical reasons for you to get up and move around, too – blood clots are more likely to form when you are motionless, and you could also <\/span>develop bedsores<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

Being admitted to a hospital is never going to be a pleasant experience – but you can make your trip a lot more comfortable with these simple tips. We wish you good health and a successful procedure.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here are or top tips for preparing yourself for a hospital visit, to ensure your stay is safe and as comfortable as possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":3088,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,36,15,35],"tags":[19,919,1663,20],"class_list":["post-3087","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fitness","category-health-wellness-2","category-opinions","category-wellness-2","tag-health","tag-healthcare","tag-hospital-visit","tag-wellness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3087","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3087"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3087\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3092,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3087\/revisions\/3092"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3088"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3087"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3087"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/zestmag.com\/online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3087"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}