The hospital can be a scary and confusing place so after 15 years of treating patients, Hospitalist, Dr. Monique Nugent, wrote the book on how to have a more successful hospital stay!
Prescription for Admission will help you receive better treatment and improve your experience at the hospital. This complete guide provides the critical information you need to navigate the hospital—so you can stay calm, feel confident, and focus on healing after a health crisis.
In this episode, she talks about:
- Not all hospitals can do everything you may need, it depends on which type you are in.
- Knowing where to access the patient's critical life-saving information, like a medication list and past surgeries, is vitally important.
- There are certain legal documents we all need, MOLST/POLST, Advance Directives, and Healthcare Proxy so decisions can quickly be made in the hospital.
- She offers a pre-hospitalization checklist.
- Setting clear, achievable, reasonable communication goals with hospital staff is vital for success.
- Choosing 1 person for the staff to communicate with makes it easier for the family.
- Do not isolate yourself, you need rest and support, when someone is in the hospital.
- A hospital visit is an active process. Once someone is stable, this is our time to be figuring out what to do next.
- Caregiving does not end with the hospitalization, in fact, most of the time it ramps up after the hospital stay.
- The case manager needs to be communicated with as soon as possible if there is another elderly person at home providing care or if there is no additional support in the home. If you need someone to go to short-term rehab so you can get things lined up at home, tell them!
- Nothing happens in the hospital in isolation. Labs, radiology, and pathology are all working together and these groups don't all necessarily work 7 days a week. Neither does your health insurance.
There is so much great information here and I hope you will connect with Dr. Nugent and grab your copy of her book!
https://drmoniquenugent.com/about-the-author/
Buy Perscription for Admission Here
If you are beginning to think your parent may need senior living. This is your time to act and get the information you need!
Illuminating Senior Living will answer all of your questions and help you take that next important step.
