Discharge day: What to expect

At the end of your hospital inpatient stay you will be "discharged" from our oncology floor. Unfortunately, the whole discharge process generally takes several hours.

On your discharge day, you will need to be seen by your physician to plan for any follow-up tests, treatment, or MD visits; and to make sure your physician writes you any prescriptions you may need for any old or new medications.

Your physician will review with you what medications and dosages you usually take and what medications you will need to continue at home. It’s at this point our patients most often mistakenly think they are ready to leave the hospital. However, the nurse is required to enter into the computer any changes the physician has made to the home medications and add any new ones that the patient is expected to take.

Then the nurse reviews what medications have already been given that day and what time your next doses are due, preparing you for your care away from the hospital. In addition, the nurse must prepare you for discharge.

Additional Nurse Responsibilities
You are continually healing, which means we may need to educate you on specific processes that will need to occur at home. We may also ask you to repeat your care plan back to us, so that we can ensure we communicated it properly to you. Any additional social services or help from outside services (like physical therapy or oxygen companies) are also arranged during this time. At all times while you are in the hospital we are responsible for your care. After all, your healing is our most important priority.

You might also like:

• Your Inpatient Admission: What to expect
• Your Inpatient Stay: What to expect

Your Inpatient Stay: What to expect

Our medical oncologists are available on the oncology floor from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm Monday through Friday and the on-call Oncologists are available after 5:00 pm on week days, weekends and holidays. . These doctors work closely with your other physicians , nurses and the healthcare team to make sure that your care is as well-coordinated as possible.

The oncology floor is also staffed by certified oncology nurses, clinical oncology pharmacists, nutritionists and case managers (who work in both the inpatient and outpatient cancer programs).

During your stay with us you can expect several things:

• Physician Visit: Your physician will visit you at least once a day to make sure your medical needs are cared for and to discuss your progress toward your goal of care.
• Medication: You will likely have intravenous (IV) fluid running, and be given different medications to help you feel well.
• Nursing bedside report: Nursing bedside reporting is performed at shift changes. As your off going nurse introduces you to your oncoming nurse, they will do a safety check on your IV’s, drains, & dressings and exchange pertinent information about you and the plan of your care. We encourage you to ask questions or add to the conversation as you are an important part of the care team.
• Family Involvement: We encourage family involvement and have even provided a private room with a couch that makes into a bed for over night guests. Laundry facilities are available on the unit for anyone who requires a longer stay with us.
• Ask questions! If you need any information on your disease process or resources available as an outpatient, please do not hesitate to express your needs so we may help you.
• Family Room: A family room is available on the Oncology Unit with a computer workstation so your family can access email and cancer resource websites. There are many cancer brochures and other resources available in the Family Room.
• Nutrition Room: The kitchen located on the Oncology Unit has a refrigerator where food and special nutritional supplements brought in by family members can be stored so you can enjoy your favorite foods.

Your Inpatient Admission: What to expect

As an oncology patient being admitted to Providence St. Peter Hospital's Oncology Unit you may be experiencing feelings of fear and worry to the unknown.

As a Magnet® Hospital we are proud of the individualized care we give to each and every patient and you are no different.

First and foremost, we encourage family involvement and have even provided a private room with a couch that makes into a bed for over night guests. From the patient’s perspective, you will notice a long Admission and Discharge process.

We know you are sick and don’t feel well, but research shows it is at these junctures that many medical errors occur. You will receive a patient armband with a barcode on it, don’t worry, this is just how the computer sees you! We pride ourselves in seeing our patients as people first and patients second.

However, it is this barcode that makes sure your care is charted and documented in our electronic medical records which means higher quality care for you. Upon arrival we’ll also need your height, weight, and any current medication and allergy information you have. We recommend writing down the names and proper dosages of all the herbs, vitamins, and prescriptions you take and your preferred current pharmacy. This process is important for your safety to prevent double dosing or administering a medication to you that interacts negatively with other things you may be taking.

Since we see many of our Oncology patients on a repeat basis, with no change to personal information (same address, insurance, allergy, and emergency contact information), we have provided a “fast track” card that you can obtain from the registration/admitting desk to speed your admission time along on your subsequent visits. Just show the registration/admission desk personnel your fast-track card and they will open a current account, obtain a patient identification band, and assist in transporting you upstairs.

What to bring:

• Copy of your health care directive/POLST form
• Any uncommonly prescribed or expensive medications you take at home (chances are the hospital does not carry them).
• Personal toiletry items
• Favorite books, cell phone, MP3, lap top, charger etc.
• Clothes to wear home

What NOT to bring:

• Any valuables (cash, jewelry, etc.)
• Any tobacco products (they are prohibited on our campus)
• Any pain pills, anxiety, sleeping, or nausea meds. (We will provide these for you here).