Preparing for a hospital admission if you have Parkinson's
Going into hospital can be an anxious time for anyone. But if you have Parkinson’s there are things you can do to make you feel more prepared whether it's a planned or emergency admission. We share our top tips.
Emergency admissions
It can be an anxious time if you're admitted to hospital in an emergency. But there are things you can do to help you feel more in control.
Tell staff you have Parkinson's and how important it is to get your medication on time.
Explain to staff what medication you take. Show them your medication record and ask them to keep a copy of it in your notes. Check they have recorded this accurately.
Ask a member of staff to let your GP, specialist or Parkinson’s nurse know you are in hospital.
If you have had deep brain stimulation, tell a member of staff and show them your patient ID card.
Preparing for a planned hospital admission
If you know you are going into hospital, there are a number of things you can do to prepare for the stay:
Keep an up-to-date medication record, which includes all the medication you are currently taking (not just for Parkinson’s) and what time you take each dose. You can order our free medication card to do this.
Tell your GP, specialist or Parkinson’s nurse that you're going into hospital. They can provide details of your medication regime to the healthcare team who will be looking after you. Your Parkinson’s nurse can also talk to the ward staff about the importance of getting your medication on time.
Make sure people know you have Parkinson’s. You can do this at a pre-admission assessment, or when you are admitted.
Prepare extra supplies of your medication, which should be kept in its original packaging, and bring these with you.
Find out whether your hospital has a self-administration policy for medication on your ward.
If you have had deep brain stimulation, tell a member of staff and show them your patient ID card.