2

Hospital Hints 

Has your doctor said you need 

medical tests done in the hospital? 

Are you having surgery? Most people 

worry when they have 

to spend the night in 

the hospital. Learning 

more about what to 

expect and about 

people who work 

in hospitals can help.

What to Bring

It’s best to bring as little as you can 

to the hospital. You will need:

F Bathrobe and slippers (put your 

name on each item); most hospitals 

provide special bed clothes

F Comfortable clothes to wear home 

(they may be the clothes you wore 

to the hospital)

F Toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, 

comb and brush, deodorant, and 

your own razor

F Your hearing aids, dentures, and 

glasses

F A little cash (not more than $10) 

and a credit card that a family 

member or friend can keep for you 

F Books or magazines 

Make sure you bring your health 

insurance card. If you don’t have health 

insurance, talk with the admissions 

staff about other payment methods and 

sources of financial aid. Remember to 

bring photo identification and updated 

information about:

F Past illnesses and surgeries

F Your medicines, including prescription 

and over-the-counter drugs

F Your allergies

F Names and telephone numbers 

(home and business) to contact in 

an emergency

What to Leave at Home

Leave jewelry (including wedding 

rings, earrings, and watches), extra 

cash, additional credit cards, and your 

checkbook at home. Don’t bring electric 

shavers, hair dryers, curling irons, or 

similar equipment. Also, leave your 

electronics at home. The hospital is not 

responsible for your cell phone, laptop, 

tablet, CD player, or other electronics. 
3 4

Admission

Once your hospital stay is planned, 

many hospitals have a staff member call 

to ask pre-admissions questions over 

the phone. Then, when you go to the 

hospital, many of the forms are already 

filled out and ready for you to sign.

Your first stop at the hospital is the 

admitting office. You will sign forms that:

F Give the hospital details about 

yourself, your doctor, and your 

insurance

F Explain your surgery, test, or 

procedure

F Give your okay for the medical staff 

to treat you

Also, you will be asked about advance 

directives (see Patient Rights on page 8).

After the paperwork is completed, a 

hospital bracelet will be put on your wrist 

by the admissions staff and checked by 

nurses. Read your bracelet to make sure 

the information is correct.

Hospital Staff

While you are in the hospital, many 

people might take care of you.

F Doctors are in charge of your overall 

care. The doctor in charge may be 

your primary doctor (the doctor you 

see outside the hospital), a specialist 

on the hospital staff, or a hospitalist 

who is trained to oversee your care 

while you are in the hospital.

F Nurses have a variety of jobs. For 

example, registered nurses can give 

medicines, licensed practical nurses 

can help feed you, and nurses’ aides 

can help with personal care.

F Respiratory therapists prevent 

and treat breathing problems. They 

teach exercises that help avoid lung 

infections after surgery or extended 

bed rest.

F Technicians can take blood or 

perform tests such as x-rays.

F Physical therapists show you how 

to strengthen muscle and other 

tissues, increase flexibility, and 

improve coordination.

F Occupational therapists work with 

you to restore, maintain, or improve 

your ability to perform everyday 

tasks like cooking, eating, bathing, 

or dressing.

F Dietitians can plan menus, 

including special meals, and teach 

you how to have well-balanced 

meals at home.

F Clinical pharmacists may be 

consulted about the medicines 

you take.
5 6

F Social workers assist you and 

your family. They can help find 

homecare, rehabilitation, social 

services, long-term care, and 

support groups.

Inside the Hospital

Hospitals have many patient-care 

areas. For example, the intensive care 

unit (also called the ICU) has special 

equipment and staff to care for very ill 

patients. Coronary care units (CCUs) 

give intensive medical care to patients 

with heart disease. In 

both the ICU and CCU, 

visiting hours are very 

limited. Often only 

family members are 

allowed to see patients. 

Surgery is done in the 

operating room (OR). 

After an operation, patients are cared 

for in the recovery room until they are 

ready to move to their hospital rooms.

Hospital Safety Tips

Because you may feel weak or tired, 

here are some safety tips to follow:

F If you are told to stay in bed, use 

the call bell or button when you 

need help.

F Use the controls to lower your bed 

before getting in or out.

F Sit on the edge of the bed for a 

minute or so before standing.

F Watch out for the wires and tubes 

that may be around your bed.

F Try to keep the things you need 

within easy reach.

F Only take medicines given to you 

by nurses. Don’t take medicine you 

brought from home without your 

doctor’s permission.

F Hold on to grab bars for support 

when getting in and out of the 

bathtub or shower and when using 

the toilet.

After You Leave the Hospital

Older people may have health 

problems that make it hard for them 

to live on their own after they leave 

the hospital. In some hospitals and 

rehabilitation facilities, a team that 

includes a doctor, nurse, and social 

worker takes care of the special needs 

of older patients. This team also may 

include other specialists and therapists. 

The team performs a careful exam, 

called a geriatric assessment, to learn 

about the patient’s physical and mental

health, family life, income, living 

arrangements, access to community 
7 8

services, and ability to perform daily 

tasks. The team checks for health 

problems and makes a plan to help 

older patients get the health care and 

social services they need after they 

go home.

For Family and Caregivers

A hospital stay can be very hard for 

older people. Often, the strange routine 

and lack of sleep can cause confusion. 

Family and caregivers may be the first 

to notice these changes. Families should 

talk to a doctor if they see the patient is 

confused. 

Ask Questions

During your hospital stay, you may 

have questions about what’s happening. 

Keep a pad and pen by your hospital 

bed to write down questions you want to 

ask your doctor or nurse. For example:

F What will this test tell me? Why is it 

needed, and when will I know the 

results?

F What treatment is needed, and how 

long will it last?

F What are the benefits and risks of 

treatment?

F When can I go home?

F When I go home, will I have to change 

my regular activities or my diet?

F How often will I need checkups?

F Is any other follow-up needed?

F Who should I call if I have other 

questions?

Patient Rights

The Health Insurance Portability 

and Accountability Act, often called 

the HIPAA Privacy Rule, protects 

your personal health information. 

If you want to give a family member 

access to your health and treatment 

information, you must first give your 

doctor written permission.

Before you go to the hospital, you 

might want to think about writing an 

advance directive. An advance directive 

says what medical treatment you want if 

you can’t speak for yourself. 

It also lets you name 

who you want to 

make your medical 

decisions if you are 

not able to make 

your own decisions. 

Two common kinds of 

advance directives are:

F Living will

F Durable power of attorney for 

health care
9 10

In a living will, you list the kind of 

medical care you want (or don’t want); 

it’s called a living will because it takes 

effect while you are still alive.

In a durable power of attorney for 

health care, you name someone else (a 

family member or friend, for example) 

to make your medical decisions if you 

are unable to make them for yourself. 

You also can list any treatment you 

don’t want.

If you have an advance directive, 

bring a copy of it with you to the 

In an Emergency

In a medical emergency, every second counts! You may have severe pain, a high temperature, 

or signs of infection, breathing problems, a bad injury, or sudden serious illness. In such a 

life-threatening emergency, seek medical help right away by calling 911. Be sure to tell the 

operator your problem and the address you’re calling from.

You should always carry the following information:

F Doctor’s name and phone number

F Family members’ names and phone numbers

F Ongoing health problems

F Medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs

F Medicines or other substances you are allergic to

F Health insurance information and policy numbers

If you have a medical problem such as epilepsy or diabetes, you should wear an ID bracelet 

or carry an ID card to let rescue workers and hospital staff know about these conditions.

hospital. Make sure your doctor has a

copy, and check to make sure your 

wishes are part of your medical 

records. If you have a durable power 

of attorney for health care, be sure 

to give a copy to the person you’ve 

chosen to act on your behalf.

Going Home

When you are ready to go home, 

you’ll get discharge plans from the 

medical team and a release form 

from the hospital business office. 
11 12

Talk with the discharge office 

if you think you will need 

help with activities of 

daily living. Sometimes 

people go from 

the hospital to a 

rehabilitation (rehab) 

center or assisted living 

facility for a short stay 

before going home. If you 

need physical or occupational 

therapy, the hospital social worker can 

help arrange admission to a rehab 

center or make plans for you to be an 

outpatient at a facility.

For More Information

Here are some helpful resources:

American Hospital Association

155 North Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

1-800-424-4301 (toll-free)

www.aha.org

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid 

Services

7500 Security Boulevard

Baltimore, MD 21244

1-800-633-4227 (toll-free)

1-877-486-2048 (TTY/toll-free)

www.medicare.gov

For more information on health and 

aging, including nutrition, nursing 

homes, having surgery, and getting 

your affairs in order, contact:

National Institute on Aging

Information Center

P.O. Box 8057

Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057

1-800-222-2225 (toll-free)

1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)

www.nia.nih.gov

www.nia.nih.gov/espanol

To sign up for regular email alerts, 

go to www.nia.nih.gov/health.

Visit www.nihseniorhealth.gov, a seniorfriendly website from the National 

Institute on Aging and the National 

Library of Medicine. This website has 

health and wellness information for 

older adults. Special features make it 

simple to use. For example, you can 

click on a button to make the type larger.

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®

May 2013