Hospital Admission Book

Hi there guys, now today I wanted to talk to you about something I’ve found to be quite a useful tool when dealing with my ME at its most severe, when I’ve struggled with communication and suchlike. I got the idea from an excellent book called ‘Severe ME, A Guide to Living, by Emily Collingridge.’ It is the concept of having a little booklet made up for you, for use by medical professionals (GP’s, doctors, nurses, physioterrorists *cough* I mean therapists…) so that they know your medical history, conditions, medications and so on, without having to ask you the same questions a hundred times, especially if you need to be admitted to hospital for any reason. I’ve found it a brilliant thing to have with me, and although sometimes, some muppet doctor refuses to read it, for the most part it works a treat.

So what do I include in my ‘Hospital Admission Book?’

·         Firstly, your basic details: name, age, date of birth, address, height, weight and so on. These are things you’re bound to get asked over and over in hospital, and if you’re exhausted and struggling to communicate, it’s so useful to have these details on the front of your booklet, so they’re easy to find.

o   Most importantly, make sure any and all allergies or intolerances you have are on the front of your booklet, in bold type, so they are clear to see.

o   The front of the booklet is also a good place to put down your next of kin details, and an emergency contact number (if different from your next of kin.) It’s important to have this information on your booklet as if something awful were to happen to you, (which I hope it doesn’t!) medical professionals need to know who they can contact. If you have carers, it may be useful to have your carer’s or care agency’s details on the booklet too, as they will probably know a lot about your care needs.

o   Don’t forget to put on your GP details, as the hospital will need these to access your medical records and to forward information on during and after your admission.

·         Secondly, your medical information: Be sure to list all your conditions (even co-morbid ones such as ME and POTS or IBS) and give a brief description of how severely they affect you and how they affect you.

o   If any need further, more detailed explanation, you can include a page reference and explain the illness in full on a separate page. This initial list of medical conditions if supposed to be quick to read and understand, so that a doctor can glance at it and then continue treating you.

o   On a separate page, make a list of all the medication you’re on, including the dosage and how many times a day you take it. Where necessary, include what time of day you take it, as hospitals usually have four drugs rounds (morning, lunchtime, dinnertime and bedtime) and some people react badly to their drugs being given at a different time to what they’re used to.

·         Thirdly, special needs: It is important that the hospital recognises you may have specialised needs whilst you’re an impatient, and the earlier on these needs are established the better.

o   Problems such as light and sound sensitivity should be noted, as well as any dietary intolerances and whether assistance with feeding or personal care is required. If incontinence is an issue, the hospital should be aware of this too.

o   You may also want to point out that you may be less able to do things in the hospital environment due to the extra stimulation and change in routine (as well as whatever you’re in the hospital for in the first place!)

·         And finally, any other paperwork you might have regarding your illnesses or conditions. If you have a written care plan or a daily routine, that would a perfect resource for the hospital to use in order to try and treat you to the best possible standard of care.

o   You may want to get ‘official references’ from your regular medical team, in order to validate all the information in the booklet you have written, as some medical professionals can accuse people with multiple, complex, or co-morbid diagnoses of not being truthful when it comes to their health. Disgusting behaviour if you ask me, but it is best to prepare for the worst. It’s a good idea to have your GP sign the booklet to show that all the information in it is legitimate and correct.

o   You may also want to include details of any previous admissions, and details and/or results of any tests or scans you’ve had over the years, as these can come in handy.

Now I think that pretty much covers everything you need to put into your ‘Hospital Admission Book,’ obviously you can add and subtract from these guidelines as you see fit, and ensure you have several copies with you when you are admitted, one to put in your notes and a few to hand to anyone who hasn’t bothered to read them! If there is a lot of information in the book, perhaps condense it onto a single paged document with the most important points on, to hand to paramedics and the like.

Also, don’t forget to keep your book up to date, and also if you have any other information books about your illness (especially if it is little-known like ME) bring them with you- some of the more open minded doctors will be willing to flick through them, as well as some inquisitive nurses, and after all, education breaks down ignorance.

Take care, strong fighters!

Alley-Cat

© Alice Daley 2014