![]() Nurses can explain your medications to you and reasons that you should take them. Make sure you understand your medications and take them as prescribed.They can help you coordinate your care or ensure that you are assigned to the correct case manager who can assist you. If you need help making appointments, let your nurse know. When you are discharged from the hospital, make sure you understand what you need to need at home and what follow up appointments may be needed.Don’t hesitate to use them as a resource. They want you to understand the hospital experience and your health. Nurses want to help you in any way they can. If you get confused about what is being said to you, your nurse can help clarify the situation and answer any questions about your health care team. Your nurses coordinate all the communication and plan of care with these individuals. When you are in the hospital, many people from different areas will be taking care of you.The best way to heal after surgery is to move as much as you can to regain your strength and reduce your pain. If you are going to the hospital for surgery, be ready to begin moving and walking soon afterward. ![]() It helps to give an idea of what your recovery will be like and to set expectations. ![]() Before any surgeries, ask how many tubes to expect following the procedure.For example, if you know your mom will refuse any surgery, you can head off unnecessary pre-surgical appointments while helping her to navigate the parts of the medical system she would prefer to utilize. Along with the DPOA and advance directives, talking to your family about your wishes ahead of time is very helpful.Bring a copy of your advance directive or durable power of attorney (DPOA) with you to the hospital, and give your nurses a copy for your medical record.Do not bring jewelry, money, special objects, or electronics to the hospital if possible. The nursing staff is focused on taking care of your health needs, and it is hard for them to always keep track of your personal items. Have the names and phone numbers of all your health care providers (doctors and nurse practitioners) that you see available. ![]() When hospital personnel is talking about your medications, remember that it is important to include ALL medicines – even over-the-counter (OTC) medications as well as alternative therapies such as herbal supplements.As a family, we also put her medication list on the computer so we could print several copies for multiple members of the family to have – just in case we needed it for her.When caring for my grandmother, we kept all her current medications posted on the fridge, so in case of emergency, we could grab them and go.If you have a smartphone, you can easily keep this information by handing in your phone. When you come to the hospital (or ANY medical visit) have a list of the names and dosages of all of your medications, as well as the names of those who prescribed them.Falls often happen on the way to the bathroom when patients think they are steadier than they really are. If the nurse says to call for assistance when needing to get out of bed, please call for help. Never try to climb over the bedside rails.Don’t wait until your pain is out of control to ask for pain medication because then it takes longer to get the pain under control.Ask everyone – even your provider – to wash their hands before providing care to you or a loved one. ![]()
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