I realised this week, with some surprise, that I have been receiving infliximab (remicade) infusions (three hour intravenous treatments) for nearly four years — time flies!
For me, four years of infusions adds up to more than 16 infusions and more than 16 hospital day admissions. Here are my top tips for making hospital visits comfortable and stress-free.
Note: These tips are based on my experience in Australian hospitals, primarily in the private system. Where I am, receiving infusions (medication by drip) involves being admitted to the hospital for three to five hours. I have read American sites which talk about patients receiving their treatments in more informal lounge style infusion centres.
1. Make your appointment early in the day
Although you may have to wait a little while for morning discharges to make beds available, you will be ahead of the crowd that always builds in hospital waiting rooms as the day progresses.
2. Clear your schedule
Even though you may be told that the treatment will take only two or three hours, do not schedule anything critical for your afternoon on the day of treatment. Hospitals are too unpredictable: there may be an emergency which takes precedence over your appointment; there may be a shortage of staff on the day; or there may be some mix-up with the pharmacy which means your medication takes longer to be sent up to the ward then it should be (all these have happened to me).
If you have somewhere to get to by a certain time you are only going to increase your own stress and impatience if anything goes wrong - and that doesn’t help the situation. Plan to take the whole day and if you finish earlier, be happy with your good fortune.
3. Pay attention to the process - be your own carer
Notice what happens during your treatment, and your routine observations. You shouldn’t be relying on the nurses to tell you what is normal (well not after a few times anyway), you should know what is ‘normal’ for you and be able to tell them!
4. Wear clothes that are comfortable, flexible and warm
In my experience, hospital air-conditioning is cold. And sitting (mostly) still on a bed for several hours doesn’t do much to warm you up. So take something to keep warm and be aware that once the cannula (drip needle) is in you will be more restricted, so make it something you can throw over your shoulders.
5. Be a patient patient
Sorry for the pun. Be sensitive to the fact that the staff who are assisting you may also be dealing with any number of other patients at the same time, some of whom may need more urgent attention than you. Please don’t be the loud, demanding, unreasonable patient who always wants to be first. Being agreeable will also endear you to the staff and mean that if you do have cause to complain you will be taken more seriously (cry wolf and all that).
6. Bring snacks and drinks
Nothing worse then sitting there hungry hoping that the hospital lunch is going to be edible this time.
7. Bring something interesting to do!
Channel surfing the hospital TV for five hours is guaranteed to leave you feeling groggy, even if the drugs don’t! So do something interesting, use the time to try something to haven’t done before (like drawing), or just rest.
I know others who are in hospital for longer stays will take their own bed sheets and pillows — do you have any tips for making hospital visits more comfortable?
This article was posted on 3 February, 2008
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