Monday, June 24, 2013
Making the best of a stay in the hospital
Having been a nurse for over 30 years, I was pretty
comfortable in all areas of a hospital.
But recently I experienced what it is like on the other side of the
hospital bed — when family members have been the patient, and I was not the
nurse caring for them.
Fortunately, the care my loved ones received was
excellent. Here are some insights
on how to make the best of a hospitalization — lessons learned from my
experience on both sides of the hospital bed.
• Ask questions.
It’s your body. You should understand everything about your illness,
diagnosis, and treatment plan of care, so ask questions to clarify. Make sure
it’s in understandable terms.
• Collaborate with the hospital staff. They truly want to
deliver the very best care possible, but you need to cooperate and not keep any
secrets. If you haven’t been taking your insulin at home, your doctor needs to
know so he or she can plan your treatment appropriately.
• Think positive.
Studies have shown that a positive attitude enhances your recovery and
even helps to minimize your pain.
• Know your medications. For your safety you need to be aware
of the names of your medications, what each one is for, the proper dosages, and
any possible side effects or interactions to watch out for.
• Designate a support person to advocate for you. If you feel
too ill to participate in your medical care and directions, it helps to have
another person listening to instructions.
• Work closely with the discharge planner. If you anticipate
needing services from nurses, health aides, occupational or physical therapists
once your return home, the discharge planner will make these arrangements.
It’s everyone’s goal to have the best care possible, no
matter which side of the bed you are on.
Alice Facente is a community education nurse for the Backus
Health System. To comment on this column or others, visit the Healthy
Living blog at www.backushospital.org/backus-blogs or e-mail Ms. Facente or any of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
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