I will be admitted to the NTUH in Taipei next week. This will be my first hospitalization outside of the US. I have been told that I will need to provide many things on my own, such as towels, food, beverages etc. I have a bandage on now and will also have one after surgery, do I need to take my own dressing supplies too? I am a bit anxious and out of my comfort zone as I am an RN in the US and obviously know that system well. Thank you in advance for any helpful advice!
pyjamas if you want. slippers, dressing gown. towel, toothbrush, brush, etc.
iPod, books. there won’t be a TV worth watching, normally.
some cash… there’s always a 7-11 downstairs for supplies. bear in mind that most in-hospital 7-11s don’t carry beer or other alcohol (but they do sell cigarettes, funnily enough).
They will do as much dressing repairs as you need, but if you need other meds they might not be able to give you the same as you’re used to. bring your own.
You must take all of your personal needs in with you. I assume that things like bandages and dressings, they’ll supply, but you will be charged for them. You need to organize your own food. Someone must bring food in for you or you can order a daily set of meals (3-4 choices) from the canteen. If you order meals, you must fetch them yourself in the reception area, or have a family member or friend do so for you. If you need help post-op (going to the bathroom, washing, etc.), again, family member or friend. The nurses don’t do that here.
I was in NTUH for neurosurgery about 7 years ago, and didn’t have any family to stay with me post-op, so I needed to hire a private nurse (I think it was 2K per day).
And the 7-11 downstairs DIDN’T stock cigarettes. I had to take a taxi with drips in my arm and pyjamas on. :bluemad:
Pajamas have to be with buttons, meaning they can be opened easily. Standard, cheapie 300nt from traditional market better. You can order hospital food or there are several companies that cater, or as said, have someone -friend or family, they usually give 2 or 3 ID tickets to let the person in after hours. Such person can stay the night with you, there is a cot.
Some bandages and stuff you will have to provide. The day you are admitted, they will tell you which ones to buy for after the surgery.
They have washing machines and dryers in each floor, for hospital use, also hot water, but bring your own water/sports drinks for after surgery.
Laptop computer, and a Cat-5 cable with RJ-45 connectors. There may well be internet, but it may only be accessible via the cable.
Thank you all for your ideas and input. I truly appreciate it. It was also suggested by a Taiwanese friend of mine to hire a private aide for the first few days. Does anyone know how to make those arrangements? Do I do it ahead of time or can I arrange it when I am admitted. I am having a skin graft so it is very important that I keep my moving to a minimum. Thank you again in advance.
Better ahead of time. They usually have a list of candidates at the hospital itself, if necessary.
Definitely arrange for assistance (preferably in advance), then, since even simple things like getting water to drink may involve walking 100 m to the potable water dispenser, and the in-hospital convenience stores, food court and pharmacies can be VERY great distances away from your room.
Be sure to take any language barrier into account when arranging assistance.
The hospital we were at this spring did not have tobacco or alcohol products in the convenience stores (not that we needed those).
We had to provide our own food, water, and some dressings and iodine etc. They tell you which things to buy when you check in, or as needed. We were told to buy a bedpan on the way in, for instance.
If your mobility is limited, you’ll want family, friends or a hired assistant to be available to get you those things.
If you can go to the hospital’s pharmacies on the way in, ask whether they deliver to hospital rooms, and get their phone number. You MIGHT be able to have some items delivered to your room if needed. One pharmacy at one hospital did this for us once.
Finally, OUR experience was that despite all the “nurses here don’t do that stuff” talk, if there are small gaps occasionally in your supply of personal assistants and if you are very nice to the nursing staff from the start, you will probably be able to get help from a nurse on request.
Don’t forget to bring some entertainment for yourself, btw. It gets boring.