Tips for a Hospital Stay

These are things I wish I knew going into surgery recovery with my husband.

1.  Ask the nurse or CNA to explain everything you don't understand.
      (ie. what does that medication do? how often can he have that medication?)

2.  Often the doctor will order several medications for nurses to give as needed.  The nurses may not offer these and wait for the patient to complain or ask for more meds.  Ask up front so you are aware of the options available!

3.  Ask where supplies are kept.  I was given free access to a closet of clean linens, towels and washcloths, as well as a "nutrition room" that kept extra food supplies like jello, tea, and an ice machine.  The CNA's actually are relieved not to have you asking them for these things if you are able to help yourself.  They are already busy enough.

4.  As weird as it may sound, do not dispose of any bodily fluids and notify your nurse with any fluids that are expelled from your body.  They measure and track these things to see how your body is progressing through recovery.

5.  If you want to wash your hair, but aren't allowed to bathe or can't get out of bed yet, ask for a Shampoo-Cap.  It is a shower cap with built in shampoo.  They warm it up and it is like a warm massage on your scalp and removes much of the daily grime.  Just towel dry afterward.

6.  If you know it will be a long stay for your loved one, bring a bag of non-perishable snacks and food.  The hospital has food, but it comes at a price!

7.  If you are feeling nauseous...try nibbling on plain potato chips or chewing some gum.  We were told that the Mayo Clinic had done some research on this and something about these things helps ease the nausea.  It worked for my hubby.

8.  If your loved one has a pain pump or "PCA" to deliver medication on demand (usually it will only give so many doses in an hour), talk to the pain doctors about allowing you to  helping during times when your loved one is asleep.  Nurses will tell you not to help the patient medicate...but in the initial phases of pain management, it helps to keep track and remind your loved one when it is time to push the button.  Getting behind the pain is hard to recover from versus keeping it under control in the first place.