During your stay

If you are coming into hospital as an inpatient, we want you to be as comfortable as possible.

We would encourage you to bring some items in with you and we have developed a checklist to help you pack these items for your stay.

As there is limited storage space, we ask that you or your carer pack the items in a small soft bag that will fit into your bedside locker. Do not worry if you can’t bring all of the items in with you, we can provide many of them for you and we will replace them if you do run out.

Below is some useful information for patients coming to our hospitals. 

What to bring with you

Bringing the following items with you will help make your stay more comfortable.

  • Admission letter if you have one
  • Any medication you have been taking in the original packets or containers, and/or your repeat prescription list
  • Contact details of your close relative or friend, your GP and any care agencies that support you
  • Care Plan if you have one, and any other information about how to look after you. If you and your GP or hospital doctor have discussed and completed a ReSPECT and or DNACPR form, please bring these too
  • Glasses, hearing aids, and dentures with cases or pots labelled with your name
  • Any mobility aids you use such as walking stick or frame to help you move around safely
  • Nightwear - such as a dressing gown and slippers
  • Things that help you sleep - such as earplugs, eye mask, fruit or herbal teabags  if these are helpful
  • Toiletries - including toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel, deodorant, hairbrush, shaving items etc
  • Something to do - such as magazines, book, and a pen and paper for thoughts or questions
  • Mobile phone with charger and earphones if you like to listen to music. Free Wifi is available andTV (pay to view) and radio are available at some bedsides
  • Small amount of money for papers, snacks, drinks etc.

We encourage our patients to keep moving as it helps them feel more positive and has a beneficial effect on wellbeing. To help this we ask you to also bring clothing such as daywear, underwear, socks and comfortable well fitting shoes.

 If possible please bring your items in a soft foldable bag.

Please note that the trust accepts no liability for any loss, damage or theft of any property belonging to a patient, except where the property has been deposited with the Trust for safekeeping.

Help us to keep our hospitals free from infections

Patients

  • If you have not seen our staff clean their hands before they touch you please just say: "Have you cleaned your hands?"
  • Always wash your hands after going to the toilet and before touching food.
  • Please use the alcohol gel provided at the entrances to wards and departments.
  • Tell a member of staff if you notice anywhere that has not been cleaned properly such as the ward, bathrooms or toilets.
  • If you have a drip, drain or catheter that becomes sore please check with your nurse if it needs changing.
  • Please take the whole course of any antibiotic medicines you are given.
  • You should wash your hair and take a bath or shower as usual at home before coming in for surgery.
  • If you have diarrhoea please tell the nursing staff.

 

Visitors

  • Please do not visit the hospital if you are unwell with cold-like symptoms or diarrhoea and vomiting symptoms.
  • Please do not sit on the bed. If there are no chairs available please ask a member of staff to provide you with one.
  • Any children visiting must be supervised all the time, so that they do not touch equipment or dressings.
  • Make sure you wash your hands on the ward or use alcohol gel before and after visiting a patient in hospital, and follow advice on notices of side room doors.
  • Check how many visitors are allowed in at any one time.

If you have any concerns or questions about cleanliness or infection control please speak to the nurse-in-charge on the ward or contact our infection prevention and control teams on:

QMC - Tel: 0115 924 9924 Ext: 63866

City Hospital - Tel: 0115 924 9924 Ext: 55578

Electronic devices and mobile phones

If you bring your own mobile phone or other electronic device (e.g. tablet) into hospital with you, please speak to ward staff about arrangements for you to use your device and to safely charge it. Unfortunately, there will be restrictions in some settings where you will be unable to use your own device so that we can maintain patient safety. Do not plug your device charger in without staff permission.

We will be making a small number of iPhones available on wards for patients to use so please ask a member of ward staff about this if you do need access to a phone to keep in touch with your family and friends.

Sleeping well in hospital

Everything about our physical and mental health is better when we sleep well. We know sleeping in hospital can be difficult so we encourage you to follow your usual sleep pattern as much as possible. Here are a few tips for you to follow:

Top tips for sleeping well in hospital

Everything about our physical and mental health is better when we sleep well. Here are a few tips that we hope you will find helpful:

  • Move about as much as you can during the day as this will help you to sleep better
  • Talk to staff about your usual getting ready for bed routine and bedtime, they will try to help you follow your usual pattern
  • Discuss with the nurse looking after you when and why they might need to wake you during the night
  • If you have a comforting item that helps you to sleep at home, ask staff whether you can bring it in
  • Use earplugs and an eye mask to reduce noise and light. Please ask your nurse for some if you would find them helpful 
  • If you have a mobile phone and earphones try using a relaxation, mindfulness or sleep app
  • Avoid looking at phone screens for an hour before sleep. Their blue light reduces natural sleepiness and keeps us awake
  • Sleep is hard to come by if you are hungry. Various snacks are available on the ward. Please don’t hesitate to ask for something to eat
  • Decaffeinated drinks are available to help you avoid caffeine. Caffeine keeps some people awake. Staff can also make you a drink using your own herbal or fruit teabags
  • Let a nurse know if you are hot, cold, worried, uncomfortable or in pain at any point during the night
  • Ask staff to adjust lighting or reduce noise – they really do want you to sleep well

We are sure you will understand that it might be necessary for staff to monitor you and to give you medicines or other care during the night. They will only wake you if it is absolutely necessary.

Sometimes patients near you will also have to receive care or be moved during the night. Other patients might need to be brought to the ward. Staff will try to do everything as quietly as possible.

If you feel you are not a good sleeper at home, free courses are available to help you sleep better. For example, Sleepstation https://www.sleepstation.org.uk/

Further information

For more information about tiredness and sleep - https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/

Smoking

No Smoking Sign

Smokefree 

Smoking tobacco and cigarettes at NUH is not allowed.  This applies to all patients, visitors and staff.

Whilst you are at NUH, please do not smoke anywhere inside or outside our hospital buildings.  

 

Help and support to stop smoking

If you are a patient at NUH and you would like support to stop smoking, please speak to your clinical team.

We can also talk to you about the options for helping you if you need to stay in hospital.

You can also get free help and support to stop smoking at any time:

Call the free Smokefree National Helpline to speak to a trained, expert adviser.

Call now: 0300 123 1044

All lines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 4pm.

You can find all the information and free resources to help you quit on the Smokefree website here.