About your stay in hospital
The prospect of going into hospital for a surgical operation is inevitably daunting for everyone. Apart from the operation itself, being unsure just what to expect from your stay in hospital can be a worry. At The Lister Hospital you can depend on all of our staff to make the whole experience as comfortable and stress-free as possible. As part of this process, we believe that it will be of great help to you to have all the basic information about the preparations for your operation and the care you can expect afterwards, before you come into hospital.
Download A guide for patients coming to hospital (PDF) and other information about the Hospital from our Brochure Downloads page, or register your appointment online to save you time when you arrive.
For details about our administration procedures, as well as advice or information regarding your admission, please call the Admissions Department on 020 7824 8679.
Your Consultant may wish to assess you in advance of your operation. This service ensures that all pre-operative tests are completed before admission, allowing for a smooth admission on the day. Pre-admission assessment is undertaken at The Lister Hospital, or may be conducted by telephone by our pre-admission nurse.
Back to top
Medical concerns
If you have any medical concerns relating to your admission, please contact your Consultant’s secretary.
Medication
Please continue to take your medication as prescribed, unless you have been advised otherwise. Some drugs may have to be stopped prior to surgery; please discuss this with your Consultant. The Hospital is responsible for the safe storage of drugs during your stay. It is of vital importance that you bring all the medicines that you are taking, into hospital with you, including oral contraceptives, HRT, vitamins and natural supplements. This is to ensure that medicines given to you while you are in hospital do not clash with your own medicines and therefore compromise your treatment or safety.
Fasting
You may need to fast before your operation; please discuss this with your Consultant. Do not drink alcohol or smoke for 24 hours before admission.
Special needs
If you have hearing difficulties or are partially sighted, please contact The Hospital’s Inpatient Reservations Department on 020 7824 8679, so that we can make necessary arrangements prior to your admission. If you are likely to need an interpreter to help with your admission, please arrange to have one with you when you arrive at The Hospital. If this is not possible, please notify us in advance and we will endeavour to make suitable provision.
Arrangements for going home
You will need to make arrangements for someone to collect you by car after your treatment, or ask them to accompany you in a taxi. It is unsafe to travel by public transport after an anaesthetic, even if you are feeling OK. You should also ensure someone is with you at home for the first 24 hours after your operation.
Back to top
All patients
- Please ensure you bring all relevant x-rays and scans
- Do not wear any make-up or jewellery (other than a wedding band)
- Wear loose, comfortable clothes
- If possible, you should wear glasses instead of contact lenses, which would need to be taken out before your operation
Day patients
- Dressing-gown and slippers
Overnight patients
- Dressing-gown and slippers
- Pyjamas/nightdress
- Toiletries, including a facecloth or baby wipes
Medications
Please bring all medications with you in pharmacy-labeled bottles or blister packs.
Valuables
Please bring the minimum of valuables and cash, as the hospital cannot accept responsibility for damage and loss. There is a lockable safety box in your room for your use.
Back to top
Please arrive at The Lister Hospital at the requested time.
After your arrival, you will be escorted to your allocated room and a ward team member will familiarise you with your surroundings, explaining how to operate the nurse call system, lighting, television and radio.
Soon after your arrival a nurse will come to ask you a series of questions in order to obtain a concise medical and social history. You will be asked to hand over your medication for safe storage. Your weight and height will be measured; this is to aid the Anaesthetist when calculating the necessary dose of medication. The nurse will also take your blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation level and temperature; this is to act as a baseline measurement prior to surgery.
It sometimes happens that several patients may be admitted at the same time as you. So please do not worry if a nurse does not come to see you immediately on your arrival; you may rest assured that you will be seen as soon as possible.
You may find you are asked the same questions by different people; this is because we have to confirm certain details are correct, as part of our checking procedure. This is standard practice and ensures maximum safety for every patient having an operation. For security reasons and to adhere to the National Patient Safety Agency guidelines you will be asked to wear a patient identification label throughout your stay in hospital.
Back to top
You will be seen by your Consultant and asked to sign a consent form for your surgery. He/she will outline what will happen during the operation. You will also be seen by your Anaesthetist.
You will be given an approximate time when you are expected to go to theatre, although this may change, depending on the theatre team’s progress. We appreciate that waiting to go to theatre can be a very anxious time. The nursing staff on the ward will keep you informed of any changes or delays as soon as they are made aware of them.
You will be required to wear a hospital gown, but you can wear cotton underwear under it; paper pants will be provided if cotton ones are not worn. Depending upon the operation, patients may be asked to remove any make-up, nail varnish, contact lenses, dentures and jewelry. Wedding bands can usually be retained and will be taped over by a member of the nursing staff.
You may also be asked to wear surgical stockings; these help to prevent blood clots forming in the legs. For the same purpose, your Consultant and Anaesthetist may also want you to have anti-coagulant injections for the first few days after the operation.
When it is time for your operation, a theatre orderly will come to collect you. You will also be accompanied by a nurse to the anaesthetic room, where the theatre staff will take over your care.
After your treatment/operation, you will be taken to the recovery bay where you will begin to wake up. The amount of time spent in the recovery unit varies between different people, the nature of the treatment and the way you react to your anaesthetic.
When you wake up, you may have an oxygen mask over your face; this is quite normal. A nurse will be checking your pulse, blood pressure and breathing rate, whilst ensuring you are comfortable and in as little pain as possible. When you are fully awake, you will be taken back to your room, escorted by a nurse from your ward. The nurse will monitor you as you continue to recover.
If you experience any pain, please let your nurse know straight away so that appropriate pain relief can be arranged for you.
The type of treatment/operation you have had will determine when you can start drinking and eating again. Your nurse will be able to advise you. It may not be advisable for you to get out of bed immediately, so please seek advice from your nurse before attempting to do so.
Your Consultant will visit you every day during your stay.
Back to top
We are proud to say that here at The Lister Hospital we have an extremely low infection rate. Our Infection Control Manager works closely with the clinical teams to minimise the risk of infection to patients and we ask our patients for their active co-operation in continuing to maintain our standards.
You will see that there are no hairdryers in our rooms; this is to prevent possible cross-infection between patients. You are more than welcome to bring in your own hairdryer; however, as with any other electrical equipment you may have with you, it first has to be checked for safety by a member of our maintenance team. If you have any such equipment with you, please bring it to the staff’s attention as soon as possible.
On admission to The Hospital, a member of the nursing staff will undertake an infection check, (including a test for MRSA), by taking a swab from your nose and any wounds, sores etc. that you may have. If you have a catheter in place, the nurse will ask for a sample of urine also. Please feel free to ask a member of staff if you have any further questions relating to this.
If you have any body piercings, it is vital that you inform the nursing staff, even if the piercings are not near the site of your operation.
We recommend that anyone with a cough, cold, chest infection or any other infection, does not visit you whilst you are in hospital.
Please ensure that relatives and friends who will be visiting you in hospital know that they will need to wash their hands before they see you.
Back to top
Please note our recommendations regarding visitors in the previous section on Infection Control.
Receiving visitors is at the discretion of the nurse in charge. Visiting times are generally between 9.00am and 9.00pm; however, do not forget that you will need your rest to aid your recovery during your stay with us. We advise you to try and limit the number of visitors you have immediately after your operation. We also recommend that very young children - especially those who have not been immunised - wait until you leave hospital and are feeling better, before they are brought to see you.
If you wish visitors to eat with you in your room, this can be arranged for an additional charge. Also, if during your stay you would like a member of your family or a friend to stay with you in your room, this can be arranged at an additional cost. However, please note that such an arrangement would always have to be at the discretion of the nurse in charge.
If you do not wish to receive visitors, please speak with your nurse.
Back to top
We expect all day surgery patients to be discharged on the day of admission; you will normally be able to go home from about three hours after your treatment/operation. Patients who stay for one night or more are usually discharged by 10 am.
Your nurse will let you know when you can go home and give you any advice and information you may need, including any relevant contact numbers. You will be advised how to care for your wound when you are discharged, and how soon you will able to have a bath or shower.
Your Consultant will see you before discharge. If he has prescribed medication for you, this will be given to you before you leave. As The Lister Hospital is an independent hospital, your ‘take home’ medication will be charged according to its actual cost and not at the NHS prescription price; this cost is not covered by health insurance.
Your Consultant will let you know if you require a follow-up appointment. If you do, you should phone the Consultant’s secretary to arrange the date and time.
If you have had a general anaesthetic, or any other sedation, you MUST NOT DRIVE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. Driving after sedation is similar to driving whilst drunk and the authorities would view it in the same way. You should also avoid drinking alcohol, operating machinery, cooking, making any important decisions or signing contracts for 24 hours after your treatment. If possible, you should ensure there will be someone at home to look after you, at least for the first day or two.
You should make arrangements for someone to collect you by car after your treatment, or ask them to accompany you in a taxi. It is unsafe to travel by public transport after an anaesthetic, even if you are feeling OK.
When leaving The Hospital, please remember to take all your belongings, including your medication and take-home drugs. If you require assistance with taking your luggage down to your waiting transport, please ask a member of staff on the ward to arrange this for you.
Back to top
Car Parking: Unfortunately we do not have car parking facilities at The Lister Hospital. Please advise anyone driving you here to drop you off at the main door. Disabled patients may ask their drivers to enter via the gates at the side of The Hospital and drop them off at the lower entrance to The Hospital; access to Reception is then via the lift to floor 1.
Smoking: The Lister Hospital operates a NO-SMOKING POLICY. Due to the fact that there will be an oxygen supply in your room, you will NOT be allowed to smoke or light candles, as this would create an extreme hazard.
Mobile phones: You may use your mobile phone in your room. However, please observe any signs that you may see around The Hospital asking you to switch off mobile phones, as in these areas they can affect medical equipment.
If you have any concerns following your operation or procedure, please contact The Lister Hospital main switchboard on 020 7730 7733 and ask for the Sister in Charge.
Back to top
|
|
|
|
|
|