Managing Hospitalization
As a family caregiver, it's likely that you and your loved one have seen, or will see, may have to confront being in a hospital from time to time. When hospitalization occurs, there are things that you can do to feel more confident, ease your stress, and be an effective advocate and respected member of the health care team.
When a person with cancer is hospitalized, it may be for a procedure; to manage an acute problem, such as an infection; or because the cancer is progressing. Your role as a caregiver and advocate for yourself and your loved one is especially important at this time. Think of yourself as a member of the health care team, which also includes the attending physician, the hospital nurses, and a hospital social worker or case manager. Immediately upon arrival at the hospital:
Help Provide Information
You can be proactive, feel more confident in your dealings with hospital personnel, and facilitate your loved one’s transition into the hospital setting. Provide the patient’s medical history in writing, including:
- A list of the patient’s allergies
- A list of current medications and dosages
- A list of past treatments
- A list of all physicians and consultants who are caring for your loved one, along with phone numbers
- A clear and fairly detailed written description of your loved one’s current physical and mental capabilities
- A copy of the patient’s advance directive if there is one
Identify the Hospital Social Worker or Case Manager
This individual can help you with a range of services, including financial questions, support, and discharge planning issues. Discharge planning should start as soon as you enter the hospital because it takes time to arrange home health care, special equipment, and payment for these additional expenses.
Identify the “Attending” Physician
This individual is the primary doctor taking care of your loved one and will coordinate care in the hospital. The attending physician will be in communication with the other consulting physicians and can summarize the entire treatment plan.
Find out the best way to get in touch with the attending physician. At what number can the physician be reached and what times are best to call? Make sure the “face” sheet in your loved one’s hospital chart contains the correct name and phone numbers. Do not hesitate to continue to ask questions until you feel comfortable with the answers.
Get to Know the Nurses Who Are Caring for Your Loved One
They can answer your day-to-day questions and are an excellent source of information and support.
Discharge Planning
It is very important to start thinking about discharge planning when your loved one first enters the hospital. It is important that the discharge planner (and the nurses involved) fully understand your loved one’s physical and mental capabilities, so the hospital team can order the most appropriate help for you and your loved one.
Legal Issues
Durable power of attorney for health care, also known as a health care agent or proxy, is the individual appointed to make decisions about medical care if your loved one cannot. That person may be you. A health care agent can be assigned as part of the advance directive form.
Advance medical directives inform physicians and family members what kind of medical treatment and care your loved one wishes to receive in the event of his or her inability to make those decisions. A living will is an example of an advance medical directive. A living will comes into effect during an end-of-life situation. It records the specific kind of treatment and care your loved one wants at that time.
Personal Health Record
Caring4Cancer’s online Personal Health Record (PHR) is a convenient way to organize your loved one’s health information and can be very helpful when managing hospitalization. The PHR allows you to enter and save important information, such as patient demographics, caregiver, and doctor contact information.
You can also record a patient medical history, such as a timeline of doctor’s visits and diagnoses, past and current medical problems, and current medications. You can even check drug interactions for all the medications your loved one is taking.
You can print out the pages of your loved one’s PHR for each doctor’s visit or hospitalization. When doctors and hospital personnel have this relevant information and history at easy access, your loved one’s medical care becomes more efficient and of a higher quality.