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Hospital Gown or Your Own Sleepwear

In most areas of the hospital you may prefer to wear your own sleepwear—and, in many cases, you may do so. However, we ask that you wear a hospital gown for all tests, examinations, or procedures. If you have questions, ask your nurse.

Pain Control

Our goal is to make you as comfortable as possible. Good pain control can help you enjoy greater comfort and recover faster while you are in the hospital.

Discuss pain options with your physician. Talk about methods that have worked well for you before. Likewise, let your doctor know what has not worked well for you.

Request pain medication as soon as the pain starts. Please remember that it takes time for the medicine to work.

If you know that your pain will worsen when you exert yourself, such as with physical therapy, take pain medicine 20 to 30 minutes prior to exertion.

Help your doctors and nurses measure your pain. They will ask you to rate your pain on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain imaginable.

Getting “hooked on” pain medications is an extremely rare occurrence. Your doctor will order how much and how often you can safely receive your medication. For more information, talk to your physician, nurse, or pharmacist.

As you are getting ready for discharge from the hospital, remember to discuss with your nurse or doctor about how your pain will be managed at home. Any necessary

prescriptions for pain medication should be obtained from your doctor prior to discharge.