Night in hopsital - what to bring?

Not sure about all the private hospitals but at Matilda International Hospital we provide:

toiletries, towels, slippers, dressing gowns and night wear - though not designer so most people feel more comfortable in their own. A good book is an idea incase sleep doesn't come so easy, though every room has TV.


You can view the rooms on our website and pre-register to save you some time on arrival and allow us to retrieve previous records in advance.


If you need any further help please feel free to give me a call.


Lynne - 2849 0328

Matilda International Hospital

Hong Kong

http://www.matilda.org

Clear this with your doctor, but in addition to little comfort items (your own slippers and night clothes) a lot of people pefer to carry in take their own medicines. That way if you need a tylenol you won't have to wait for it (the nurse will have to clear it with the doctor first with special order and then order it from pharmacy and then wait for it to be delivered, a process which might take 3 hours or so total) and also it's a lot cheaper than the triple price you will pay from the hospital pharmacy. So talk with your doctor ahead of time about what medicines you might be able to bring from home to save all the hassle. The nurse will still have to write it in the chart because it's important that they know and approve everything you take, it will just be a bit more convenient for you if you have it readily available.

Depends on the hospital, private or semi-private room, length of stay and "support team".


Suggest rubber soled footwear which is easy to slip on and off. Flipflops are handy.


Bedwear should open in the front (i.e. not over the head) as this makes it easier for the doctor to examine you. No long sleeves, in case of IVs. A longer length dressing gown can make you feel a little less exposed.


Leave your jewellery at home.


Have your support team ready to take you food. A friend stayed at an HK private hospital (not the Matilda which has v. good food) and breakfast, for example, was plain congee. It was unable to provide healthy Western food - it actually served white bread as a 'healthy' alternative to white rice!


Depends on the reason for stay, but you might find an operation leaves you too tired to read much or watch tv so take some music with you. Magazines are also good as they usually have short articles to read.


If you are in a semi-private or small ward, you might want to take earplugs. In the UK, hospitals are quiet places. In HK they are not. If your neighbour wants the tv on loud all day then they will do it, whether it disturbs you or not.


Another friend was in a private room but felt sick from the smell of the hospital so I took her an electric aromatherapy atomiser - but be careful about which oils to use depending on the condition.


For a friend with pregnancy complications requiring two months of bed rest, I give her a facial with some peel-off facial masks (not so messy) which perked her up. This is what I mean about having a support team.


Anti-bacterial hand wash - hospitals are not that clean.


I know this might seem a bit much but makes no assumptions. A friend went in to hospital for three days but ending up staying there for over three weeks after the surgeon botched her operation. Never hurts to have a back-up plan.

Well, want to clarify I said, "the nurse will still have to write in in the chart . . . ." Of course they must monitor, and you must clear it with your doctor, but it's a question of convenience and cost to have it already in your possession and not have to pay the hospital pharmacy rate. And yes, the hospital staff is likely to want you to pay the triple rate of the in-house pharmacy.