What To Pack For Your Hospital Stay

If you have to go into the hospital for surgery or another procedure, one of the first things you should be thinking about is your hospital bag.

Now, we aren’t talking just about labour and birth here, as almost all mums and mums-to-be choose to bring both a labour and a travel bag with them when they go into hospital to give birth. Here, we’re talking about general surgery, and any other procedures that might require you to be at the hospital for one night or longer.

Why Bring A Hospital Bag

There are a few reasons you might choose to bring an overnight bag with you. For one, it allows you to have some of your own items with you in the hospital. In general, hospitals can be very clinical places, that’s how they function. But that doesn’t mean they’re the most welcoming or comfortable to the patients inside them, which is where the hospital bag comes in. Another reason to bring a hospital bag is for your own entertainment. Being in hospital often means long waiting times before surgery or in recovery, and you’ll want to fill that time with more than staring into space.

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Things To Consider

A few things to consider when you’re looking at packing your hospital bag, to ensure you bring the right items, are:

1. How long will you be in hospital for?

This will decide the amount of clothing you bring, and how much entertainment you will need.

2. What kind of waiting times are you looking at, and what will your recovery be like?

If you’re going to be sleeping or on painkillers for your recovery, you might not have the energy to do much more than sleep.

3. What are the rules of the hospital?

Many hospitals do not allow cell phones or laptops, which can interfere with medical devices. Always check what the rules are at the hospital you are attending.

What You Should Bring

It can be hard to know exactly what you should bring with you to the hospital for your stay. Here are our ideas on the matter, along with a few suggestions to help get you started.

1. Documents + Paperwork

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Patients often need to bring with them a variety of paperwork and documents, either relating to their condition, any allergies, and their medical coverage. There may also be legal things to consider. We recommend bringing some photo ID, any x-rays or other scans you’ve had done, all your medical insurance documents and medicare, any important phone numbers, and perhaps a copy of your living will or power of attorney, just in case.

2. Medications

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Although your doctor should already be informed about the medications you’re taking, it’s a good idea to bring them with you in any case. This is particularly true if they’re a regular medication that you take daily, as you may still need to take them when you’re in the hospital. Make sure that your doctors and nurses are aware of any medication you’re taking.

3. Small Amount Of Cash

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It’s definitely not recommended that patients bring large sums of money with them when they go into the hospital. However, it’s a good idea to bring a small amount of cash for vending machines and snacks, purchasing newspapers or magazines, or any other incidental expenses. Cash is a good idea, as hospitals rarely have methods for taking out money.

4. Comfortable Clothing

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Regardless of how long you’re going to be in the hospital, it’s a good idea to bring some comfortable clothing. This includes a good pair of pyjamas, that you feel comfortable walking around in, as well as a bathrobe, some slip-on shoes, slippers for showering, and a few pairs of clean socks and underwear. In general, loose-fitting clothing is best.

5. Glasses

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If you use glasses, you should definitely bring them with you to the hospital, particularly if you require them to see long distances (for walking around the hospital) or for reading (to entertain yourself). For those patients that usually wear contact lenses, glasses are still a better idea as the hospital is a dry environment that can lead to eye irritation.

6. Toiletries And Personal Care

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While some hospitals do provide basic toiletries to patients, many choose to bring their own for comfort. You may choose to bring your own soaps, hair care products, lotions and moisturisers. Depending on your personal needs, you might also want a hair tie, hair brush, lip balm, small mirror, lozenges, antiseptic wipes and a saline nasal spray to combat dry air.

7. Relaxation Aids

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Being at the hospital is about recovery and rest, but for some, this can be hard to accomplish. If you aren’t sure how you’ll sleep in the hospital with the noises and the lights, consider bringing some ear plugs and eye shades. If you tend to get cold, a hot pack might be a good idea, providing there is a microwave available to patients. For your own stress levels, some relaxing music as well as your own pillow or a comforting blanket are worth bringing.

8. Phone

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Not all hospitals allow mobiles, so make sure you check with yours first in terms of whether you can have it and make calls or send messages with it. If your hospital doesn’t allow a cell phone, get a phone calling card to ensure you can stay in touch with your loved ones and keep them updated if they aren’t close by.

9. Snacks

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Often having a comfortable or familiar snack can do wonders for a person’s mental health. If you have a favourite snack, and you’re planning on a hospital stay, having a few in your bag is a smart idea. Just check with your doctor and hospital first to ensure they don’t have an issue with you having snacks in your room, and that your snack has no allergens that might affect those around you.

10. Entertainment

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This is probably the most important aspect of a hospital stay: keeping entertained. If all you can do is sit in your bed, you’ll get bored pretty fast. We’d recommend bringing along some entertainment like a book, magazine, crossword puzzle, word game booklet, sudoku, portable dvd player, computer/laptop, iPod or similar music player, tablet, writing utensil or portable craft. That way, you’ll ensure you always have something to do.

Definitely, Don’t Bring

Unfortunately, hospitals are not free from theft. If you’re not being watched over by a member of your family all the time, and you’re being removed from your room to go into surgery or for scans, your personal items will be just sitting there unguarded in your room. Hospitals rarely want to take the blame for theft. So, we’d recommend leaving expensive jewellery, watches and sunglasses at home, along with credit cards and other easy to steal valuables.

What do you put in your hospital bag?