Packing for hospital

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I worked in a few hospitals. None ever provided clothing, bathlinen or anything other than the covers on the beds. Differing areas and differing Trusts, too.



I'd personally take a bottle of hibiscrub and use that in the shower.

Plus a small towel/a couple of flannels for drying and plastic bag to place them in - I wouldn't count on them being a) available b) clean even if they are supplied.


Other than that, I preferred a light set of trackie bottoms and t-shirts rather than PJs, together with a very cheap, brand new set of slip on trainers and a cardie of some kind - hospitals can be very hot, but very cold at other times. Especially if you get desperate for some fresh air/natural daylight (I HATE modern hospital design, windows you can't see out of, are unable to open, that kind of thing)

Other than that, just the usual stuff to read, that kind of thing. Oh, and a portable fan because of the lack of air movement.


Hope it all goes well for you, LIR.

lostinrates

marmiterulesok wrote: »

I managed to lose my PM just before I sent it,which is why you got a reply with nothing in it!:mad:

Then I took my another hour to type it out again,sorry for the delay.

Seriouslyz,nothing tobe sorryfor, it was immensley kind of you! And useful. Thank you.:)

lostinrates

burnoutbabe wrote: »

I'm going to take Loads of money to buy the tv package.
iphone and charger
kindle (well charged)
DS (well charged)
dry shampoo
not sure you're allowed nail polish - does say must be removed before any surgery so i'd avoid.
lots of tracky bottom type clothes, though boring nightie for 1st day or so as i'm having surgety through stomach so a nightie may be comfier. And big girls pants! - none of the normal small ones.
if i was allowed my netbook i'd be very happy. but doubt thats allowed.
Ohh and lots of long life snacks - tracker bars etc, just as i get grumpy when hungry.

Good luck! I hope it is ok for you

lostinrates

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

I worked in a few hospitals. None ever provided clothing, bathlinen or anything other than the covers on the beds. Differing areas and differing Trusts, too.



I'd personally take a bottle of hibiscrub and use that in the shower.

Plus a small towel/a couple of flannels for drying and plastic bag to place them in - I wouldn't count on them being a) available b) clean even if they are supplied.


Other than that, I preferred a light set of trackie bottoms and t-shirts rather than PJs, together with a very cheap, brand new set of slip on trainers and a cardie of some kind - hospitals can be very hot, but very cold at other times. Especially if you get desperate for some fresh air/natural daylight (I HATE modern hospital design, windows you can't see out of, are unable to open, that kind of thing)

Other than that, just the usual stuff to read, that kind of thing. Oh, and a portable fan because of the lack of air movement.


Hope it all goes well for you, LIR.

Thank you jojo, have to confess i thought when i saw ypu had posted you might be checking to see if i was stuffing richard in the bag:rotfl:

dizsiebubba

Skyllo wrote: »

I've seen patients get lumbar punctures as day patients

Wow thats a shock as everything you read about them suggests you wouldn't be a day patient...

dizsiebubba

Spent a week in hospital at xmas as I was v. ill and I would also add:

Black sack – for OH to take dirty clothes home in.
Flip flops – for the shower because they can be gross!!!
Extra pillow – I had an LP during my stay and at various times I liked to be propped in different ways so the pillows helped!
I wore tracksuits instead of nightdresses. I never had to wear a gown for my LP.
I took a towel too as you wasn’t given one.
I would agree with the antiseptic as I picked up a chest infection whilst in hospital!

samuela66

lostinrates wrote: »

Thank you.

I normally do not get too freaked by this but i might e having one or more lumbar puntures and i confess this aspect has worried me. I don't suppose handwash'll help me much though

Oh not nice but shouldnt be too bad,last time i got rushed in they did a couple of those, sadly i didnt get a chance to bring my own stuff my beloved packed for me:eek::eek::eek:, I got the big round hairbrush to straighten your hair :D, they had gone through the main artery in my leg and he had packed those black suck em in knickers that cripple you (never mind putting them on when attacked at the top of my leg :rotfl::rotfl:) and other numerous stuff that was neither use nor ornament ..... god bless him!!!:p

pollypenny

Gosh - we have posters saying that towels and clothes are definitely given and posters saying the exact opposite!

A hospital is not an hotel, so I definitely would expect to provide my own towels.
My main concern was the mention of day clothes - having a hysterectomy, so may be in for 4 days.

Jojo, what is hibscrub.
Person One - DD, not Ds, was in Manchester Royal Infirmary, twice.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

pollypenny wrote: »

Gosh - we have posters saying that towels and clothes are definitely given and posters saying the exact opposite!

A hospital is not an hotel, so I definitely would expect to provide my own towels.
My main concern was the mention of day clothes - having a hysterectomy, so may be in for 4 days.

Jojo, what is hibscrub.
Person One - DD, not Ds, was in Manchester Royal Infirmary, twice.

Antibacterial/antifungal wash - just in case. A lot of the time, somebody has brought MRSA, klebsiella and suchlike into the hospital from the community in the first place. In some places, a swab is taken at preop stage and if it's positive, the patient is advised to shower daily in Hibiscrub for a period prior to admission.

Conversely, a shower is a place where contact with bodily fluids/solids is more likely, what with cleaning standards not being 100% all the time, and a shower is as good for creating an aerosol of faecal matter/bacteria as flushing a toilet is. So using Hibscrub makes it less likely to acquire an infection in hospital, or bringing an existing infection in on the skin and having it migrate to a surgery or injection site as well as protecting the other patients.



It's available in Boots, for example, in the first aid sort of section near the pharmacy instead of near the hand gels or shower products.

pollypenny

Great, I'll definitely get some of that. I am very wary about infection, in fact the hospital has had 6 wards closed because of the novivirus!

I can't wait to get this op over, though!