You’ve signed all the admission papers, been wheeled up to your hospital room, donned the blue-checked hospital gown and settled into your well-equipped bed.  Now, you’re faced with the two big questions.  How do I get the best care possible while I’m in here?  And, how do I get out of here fast? 

There are many things you can do to accomplish both goals.  I’ll begin with the most important:  come in armed with as much medical information about yourself as possible.  This means bringing with you to the hospital an accurate medication list of all the drugs, supplements, and vitamins you are currently taking.  This should include dosage, how often and when you take them.  Your medical information should also include a medical history timeline (including important illnesses and surgeries), a list of allergies, and an Advance Directive (which we will discuss in a future blog).  This information will help protect you from becoming a victim of a medical error. 

The second most important thing?  Be a proactive patient.  Be part of the conversation.  Ask questions, get information.  If a test is ordered, find out why and what is expected to be learned from it.  If a new medication is ordered, find out what it is for and how it works.  Ask for nursing shift changes to be done at your bedside, so that you can monitor the information being exchanged and correct any mistakes.  Empowered patients see themselves as partners in their healthcare, and better communication translates into better patient outcomes and faster healing. 

Disinfect everything.  Nurse call buttons, TV remotes, sink handles, toilet handles, the guard-rails on the bed.  Ask for alcohol wipes and do it yourself, or ask your nurse to do it for you.  It is not rude to ask your doctor to disinfect his stethoscope before touching you with it.  Its called being your own best advocate. 

If possible, have a family member or advocate with you 24/7 to be a second set of eyes and ears.  If that is not possible, bring a notebook or a recorder and log/record your discussions with your doctors/nurses and the answers to your questions.  Lack of sleep, pain medications, and stress will all conspire to make you forget much of what you are told in a hospital, so keep notes.

Get up and move as much as possible.  It will help prevent blood clots and studies have shown that older patients who get out of bed and walk around are discharged 1.7 days earlier than those who don’t. 

Other ways to help yourself are more psychological.  You want to be seen as a person, not just a body in a bed. Bring pictures of you with family, on vacation, at important events.  Tape them up on the wall of your room and on cabinet doors, so they are visible to hospital staff.  When they see these pictures, you become a person with a history, with loved ones and hobbies and dreams.  This creates more of a bond between you and your hospital caregivers. 

Nurses and hospital staff are overworked and overwhelmed.  It’s a nice gesture to have a family member bring a box of chocolates or other nice goodies to put on the table in your room for hospital staff.  They don’t always have time to eat on their shift, and you may get nurses popping into your room more frequently for a sweet treat now and then.  While they are there, let them know you appreciate their efforts.  They will appreciate your gratitude and that may translate into a little extra care and attention when you need it.  I don’t mean for this gratitude to be insincere.  Kindness is in short supply these days, and kindness begets kindness. 

Get the window bed.  Scientific studies have demonstrated that patients who are in a bed near a window that looks out on a natural setting like a park or trees, or even a clear view of a beautiful sunset, as opposed to a brick wall or a parking lot or the roof of the building next door, actually recovered faster and took less pain medication than patients who did not have a view of nature. 

If possible, lose the hospital gown and bring your own pajamas, as well as your own toiletries.  It will make you feel more comfortable, which will help you to feel more relaxed. 

If you are an animal lover, ask if the hospital has a visiting service pet program.  The healing power of pets has been well documented.  Petting a dog or cat can have enormous healing benefits for the body and mind. 

One last thing.  Experienced doctors and nurses in a hospital are more difficult to find on the weekends.  If you are having an elective surgery, try to schedule it at the beginning of the week.  That way, you may avoid having to be hospitalized over the weekend, and if there are complications, your chances of reaching your doctor are greater during the week.