AARP

Hospital Stay Patient Checklist

Hospital Stay

• Get to know your nurses and aides.

• Make names a must in all hospital interactions.

• Consider your hospital room your temporary home.

• Make cleanliness in your room a priority.

• Consider a visit from your pastor, priest, minister, imam, rabbi, shaman, guru, monk or any other type of spiritual counselor.

• Create a master medication list.

• Know your daily medication schedule.

• Create a daily journal.

• Wash your hands frequently.

• Keep hydrated. Patients can easily forget to drink water.

• Express thanks to your doctors, nurses and aides for their help.

• Find a patient representative, case manager or social worker who can help you with questions and concerns.

• Be considerate of your roommate.

• Try to laugh every day!