For Patients: Pre Admission

Pre Admission

Pre-admission is an important part of your hospital care. To ensure we can confirm your admission, financial and other arrangements, we ask that you:

• Take/send all your completed forms to the hospital reception (within 24 – 48 hours of seeing your Doctor) to arrange your admission to hospital.
• Your Doctor will complete the Doctor’s Referral/Consent form.
• If your account is subject to Work Cover or a Third Party claim please discuss this when returning your forms.

Your doctor will notify the Hospital of the date of your procedure/operation and inform you of the day of admission.

The doctor will also explain your procedure or operation and complete the consent form with you.

If you have any questions about hospital procedures, cost or health insurance status, our staff will be happy to assist you.

Preadmission Clinic

You may be asked to attend the Preadmission Clinic at the hospital or the Preadmission Nurse may ring you to obtain information to assist us with your care when you are admitted. If you need to attend the Clinic these arrangements will be made with you by the Doctor’s Receptionist or the hospital.

What to Bring on Admission

• ALL current medications (in original containers) plus any prescriptions including authority scripts
• X-rays associated with present illness
• Any other results of tests you may have had
• Health fund book and /or card
• Medicare Card
• Pharmaceutical entitlements card
• Pension card/Health Care card
• Repatriation/Veterans’ Affairs card
• Mobility aids ie. Walking frame/stick
• Sleepwear, dressing gown, slippers
• Comfortable clothing and footwear to wear home
• Personal toilet articles (soap, tissues, personal sanitary items, toothbrush & toothpaste, shampoo etc)
• Small change for incidentals
• Reading material if desired

Valuables

It is strongly recommended that you do not bring jewellery or large amounts of money to Hospital, as the provision for safe custody is limited. St Andrew’s Hospital does not accept liability for any items brought into the hospital.

On the day of Admission

• Please shower on the day of admission before coming to the hospital. If you have been provided with an antiseptic sponge please use that for you shower, otherwise use a non-perfumed soap.
• Do not wear spray deodorant, talc, make-up, perfume or nail polish
• Wear clean garments that are comfortable and easy to remove
• Please report to Main Reception for admission unless otherwise directed by your preadmission phone call.

When you arrive in your room you will find an Information Folder. We would ask that you take the time to read this. It contains information that may assist you during your stay at St Andrew’s Ipswich Private Hospital.

DO NOT

(Unless your Doctor gives you special instructions):

• Smoke cigarettes or chew gum
• Eat or drink anything after midnight for morning surgery unless otherwise advised
• Eat or drink anything after 7am for afternoon surgery – (A light breakfast prior to 7am is acceptable i.e. tea and toast) unless otherwise advised.
• Wear jewellery (wedding band is permitted)
• Wear make-up, nail polish, deodorant, talc or perfume.

Day Procedure Patients Only

• Report to the Day Surgery Reception (located under the main stairs to the hospital
• Take your usual morning medications with minimal water unless otherwise ordered by your Doctor
• Please bring in a list of your current medications. (you do not need to bring all your medications into hospital with you)
• Day Surgery pharmacy cost, if required, will be posted after discharge
• Check with your Nurse before informing relatives/friends regarding the time you should be picked up
• Light refreshments will be provided once you have recovered.

Also consider

The following should be planned and organised before you come into hospital.

• Ensure you transport home is arranged
• How are you going to prepare meals once back home, or do you need to prepare them in advance and freeze them?
• Do you need to arrange for assistance with housework, washing, and gardening;
• Is child care and/or pet care arranged;
• Have you paid any bills or made arrangements for the submission of any Social Security forms that may be due while in hospital; and
• Hiring necessary equipment to assist with your recovery eg crutches, high toilet seat

Fasting Time

The fasting time is that period of time prior to your operation when you will have a restricted diet or not be allowed to eat or drink. The time is determined by your surgeon and is related to factors such as your age and the type of operation. You will receive a phone call, usually the day prior to admission, to inform you of your fasting time.

It is ESSENTIAL that you follow your fasting instructions – failure to do so could lead to your anaesthetic being delayed or cancelled.

Operation Time

On admission, if your operation is to take place on that day, you may be advised of the approximate time that you will be going to theatre. We try to keep to this timetable but ask that you be mindful that sometimes delays can occur which may delay your entry to theatre. We will of course aim to keep you informed.

Patient identification bands

When you are admitted to your room, you will have an identification band applied to your wrist or ankle. Please check the details to confirm that they are correct, and if they are not, please inform us immediately.

It is essential that your ID band is not removed during the course of your stay.

Pre-Operative Care

Pre-operative care is that period of your stay when you are preparing for your operation. You may require some investigations. These include pathology (for example the collection of blood samples), x-rays, a cardiograph (a check of your heart) and a urine sample (to check for conditions such as diabetes.) These tests aid in determining your state of health prior to your operation and assist the anaesthetist with your anaesthetic during your operation. (If it was appropriate for you to attend the Pre-Admissions Clinic, these procedures may have been completed).

You may also receive written information regarding the type of operation you are having. You will, for infection control purposes, be asked to shower using ‘antiseptic’ prior to your operation (you may be able to do this at home prior to admission) and dress in the theatre gown and paper pants provided. It may be necessary to have the area of the operation clipped. All jewellery (excluding a wedding ring) should be removed prior to the shower and not be put on again until after the operation. Nail varnish, hair pins and make-up must also be removed.

Pre-Operative Medication

Your anaesthetist may order an injection or tablets to be taken before your operation. If not, do not worry, as many patients do not require any pre-operative medication.

Please do not get out of bed without assistance if you have had a pre-operative medication. You will be taken to theatre on a trolley.