Hospital stays may be planned or sudden for illness or
injury. This is not uncommon for anyone battling multiple sclerosis or another chronic medical condition. A sudden trip to the hospital emergency room can instantly turn into a
hospital admission. What essential items might a patient want to have on hand?
Once admitted
into the hospital, a patient may find that his or her personal belongings
have been bagged and catalogued. In the hospital room, the patient will likely
receive the standard-issue open-backed hospital gown. Perhaps a pair of
drawstring-waist hospital scrub pants and a thin wrap robe will be included. A
nurse or hospital staffer may offer a pair of knit socks with rubbery skid
protectors on the soles.
A private or semi-private hospital room may include a
bathroom, where soap and a new toothbrush may or may not be found.
Hospital physicians, nurses and other staffers may begin
asking the patient countless questions about medical history and care providers.
They will likely bombard him or her with mountains of information about the
current condition as well. How can a hospital patient keep all of this
information organized, if he or she has arrived at the hospital empty-handed?
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How can a person prepare
ahead of time for an unforeseen hospital admission?
Ideally, the prospective patient grabs the most important
items before embarking on a trip to the hospital. Expectant mothers, for
example, tend to excel at this sort of planning, stashing these goods in duffel
bags, suitcases, or totes and placing them on-the-ready for the big day.
Surgical patients with long-standing appointments may be particularly well
prepared as well. When a hospital admission is planned, the process is certainly more straightforward.
Even in an emergency, however, it may be possible to grab
the most critical personal items before rushing to the hospital. In the very
least, it can help to have a list ready, so one can send a friend or family
member to pick these up after patient
admission to the hospital.
Many of these essential hospital stay items may be purchased
in small, travel-sized versions and set aside for a prescheduled in-patient
session or just in case.
NOTE: Written by this author, this copyrighted material
originally appeared on another publisher’s site. That site no longer exists.
This author holds all rights to this content. No republication is allowed
without permission.
What are the top 10
personal supplies to have on hand, just in case one might be admitted to the
hospital?
Here are the top ten personal supplies to have ready for
just such an occasion.
1. Personal care
items
An extra toiletries case, a small cosmetics tote, or even a
zippered plastic bag may be filled with basic personal care items and stowed
for any hospital stay. The bare essentials might include a toothbrush, a small
tube of toothpaste, antiperspirant, soap, lotion, disposable razor, brush, and
comb. A woman might tuck in a small lipstick, concealer stick, blush, and
mascara.
Contact lenses, eyeglasses, hearing aids (with extra
batteries), and dentures are musts for those who use them.
Also, hospitals are supposed to be extra clean, but germs
are always possible. A tub of antibacterial wipes can be super handy for wiping
hands, bed and wall railings, door handles and knobs, TV remotes, and other
spots frequently touched by others.
2. Medical
information
A current medical insurance card is pretty much a given for
a hospital stay. In addition, many individuals maintain lists of their medical
providers (including specialists, surgeons, chiropractors, dentists, and
others) in a computerized address list or document file. It’s a great idea to
keep a printout in a hospital stay bag or to have this information recorded in
a note on one’s smart phone or tablet (and give a trusted individual the
password, in case one might be unconscious or incapacitated in an emergency). This
information will prove invaluable, should one be admitted to the hospital,
particularly without warning.
3. Medications list
Any hospital stay bag must include a list of all of the
medications one currently takes. This document should list every prescription,
each over-the-counter medicine, and all vitamins and dietary supplements.
Correct dosages for all items must be noted. Be sure to include a list of any
food, environmental or medical allergies. Hospital professionals need to know
if the patient reacts adversely to codeine, latex, penicillin, or other
contents.
This information may be stored on paper (with a copy tucked
into the hospital stay bag) or on a smart phone or tablet. Again, a trusted
ally will need the password.
4. Writing materials
A small journal or notebook and a dependable pen or two are
critical components of a hospital stay bag. Once admitted to the hospital, the
patient (and his or her accompanying friends or family members) is sure to
receive instructions from physicians and nurses. Often, patients think of
questions to ask these individuals when they reenter the room. Patients
generally gather assortments of physicians’, physical therapists’ and other
professionals’ telephone numbers or business cards and need a place to keep
them.
Having a friend or family member along to take notes can be
extra helpful.
5. Clean underwear
If a patient is admitted to the hospital suddenly for even
one night, it’s a relief to have packed at least one set of clean, fairly
presentable underwear in a hospital stay bag. A real bathrobe and an extra pair
of clean socks can be bonuses.
6. Cell phone and
charger
Hospital phone bills are steep, with surcharges often added,
even for local calls. Most hospitals now allow patients and visitors to use
their own personal cellular phones in patient rooms. Of course, cellular phones
require charging fairly frequently.
Although the patient will likely already have a cellular
phone in a pocket or purse, an extra cell phone charger is a most useful item
to include in a hospital stay bag, especially if he or she is admitted and
needs to alert and update loved ones.
7. Non-skid slippers
An inexpensive pair of non-skid slippers is a strategic item
to include in a hospital stay bag. Basic scuffs or moccasins may be purchased
quite economically at discount stores. These can be used during an unplanned
hospital stay and discarded before returning home (unless they are
machine-washable), so as not to transport any hospital floor germs or dirt to one’s
private dwelling.
Many hospital staffers encourage patients to stand and walk,
if possible, during their hospital stays. A trusty pair of non-skid slippers
can be a big help, particularly if the patient is injured or a bit unsteady on his
or her feet for a while.
8. Comfortable
stretch athletic clothing
Many hospital patients are required to participate in stress
testing, particularly for cardiovascular examinations. Often, patients are
instructed to walk or run on electronic treadmills, while they are monitored. For
these procedures, patients are urged to wear athletic clothing, such as shorts
and tee shirts and rubber-soled gym shoes. A well-prepared hospital patient,
even for an unplanned stay, will have an extra set of these items in a hospital
stay bag.
9. Reading material
Hospital stays can be boring, particularly if they last more
than a day or two. By packing a compact book, Bible, crossword puzzle book,
Sudoku book, a deck of playing card, or a few magazines into a hospital stay
bag, one can be prepared. A laptop or notebook computer or a tablet can be a
portable plus.
10. Favorite photos
Hospital rooms can feel pretty impersonal. If the hospital
stay bag includes a small family photo, a framed Scripture verse, or another
treasured image, the patient can pull this out to personalize his or her
private space a bit during a hospital stay. Here’s another option: Plenty of people
store favorite photographs on their smart phones, tablets, or portable
computers. That fits the bill nicely.
Don’t take these
items on a hospital stay.
Several items should be left at home (or locked in the car),
if one must be admitted to the hospital. These include cameras, expensive
watches, fancy jewelry, wedding rings, and irreplaceable sentimental items. Try
not to take important personal documents (such as checkbooks, credit cards, and
passports) along to the hospital. If one is admitted suddenly to the hospital,
it is best to leave these essentials with a trusted friend or family member.
Most hospital staffs try to look out for patient property, but these items are
much safer at home.
Lots of hospitals caution prospective patients about taking
cell phones, laptop or notebook computer, tablets, CD players, and other
devices along. Hospitals are not likely to claim responsibility, if items go
missing. Caution is warranted.
Although it is impossible to prepare fully for an unplanned
hospital admission, a few advance steps can make such an emergency a bit less
stressful and also considerably more comfortable. Packing an emergency hospital
bag ahead of time eases one possible headache that may be associated with a
personal medical emergency. At the very least, it helps to have a list of
important personal items to snatch up quickly before heading to the hospital.
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