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How To Maximize A Stay In A Hospital

Learn What Is Supposed To Happen On A Daily Basis.

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It is your right to be informed. Learn what is supposed to happen with your medical care on a day-to-day basis. If you don't know, you cannot monitor to be sure that what is supposed to happen actually happens. It is also important to know what should not happen so that you can guard against it.  

Every day your nurses receive a "plan of care" outlining your treatment schedule for the day. This list includes all scheduled tests, ordered meals and special instructions from your doctor.  The nurses also receive a separate list indicating all medications that have been ordered for you.

Every day, ask the nurse in charge of your care to let you or whatever family member or friend acts as your patient advocate review both lists.  Make notes of all relevant orders.  This knowledge will go a long way in preventing medical errors, such as obtaining a wrong test or treatment, or receiving the wrong medication, no medication at all. 

This information is not generally provided to patients, so you or your advocate will have to ask for it.

When reviewing the list, there is likely to be medical short hand. To help understand common words, see: Understand The Common Words Professionals Use In A Hospital

If you don't understand any part of the list, ask the doctor or another medical person to explain it. If you still don't understand, ask that the person to say the explanation in a way that someone with your background and education level can understand.

To be sure you understand, you can say something like: "Please let me be sure I understand what you are telling me by allowing me to repeat it to you in my own words."

If your doctor or nurse don't have time to explain something, ask if the hospital has a doctor known as a hospitalist - a doctor who manages a patient's entire hospital experience from admission to discharge. More and more hospitals have a hospitalist . 

If you are in intensive care, ask to speak with an "intensivist" -- a specialist who manages your case while in the intensive care unit.  

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