Doctors and nurses know that fear adds to pain and pain to fear, and the fear of what is going to happen to you in the hospital can be eased somewhat by knowing what to expect. Your admitting nurse will have a list of orders, written to her by your doctor, stating his initial plan for you. She may read you the list. If not, don’t be afraid to ask what you’re in for. Initial orders will include the following:
Diet. If you are not “NPO” (which means nothing to eat or drink, usually because you are about to have a procedure done or have a gastrointestinal problem), you will receive three hospital trays a day. If you are on a “regular” diet, then you can eat normally, and usually food brought from home is okay, too. You may be on a restricted-calorie or low sodium diet, in which case you should stick to the foods on your tray, since the calorie count or sodium level in the foods has been calculated for you. If you are diabetic, you may be sent a snack also. It is important to stick to your diet, and not to eat anything if you are “NPO.” If you do eat when ordered not to, your procedure will have to be postponed, and you will probably have a longer hospital stay. You should be able to select from a menu of choices for your meals each day, in the form of a slip of paper that you mark in the morning. If you don’t fill it in, the cafeteria will decide for you. If there is a problem with your meals or you are still hungry, don’t wait until too late in the day to mention it to your nurse. The cafeteria may close after dinner, after which you will be limited to food available on the floor, which may be only juice or milk and crackers.
Activity level. If your activity is “as tolerated,” you may move about freely, but you should still be cautious if taking a medication that makes you drowsy. It is always better to call for assistance than risk a fall. Your activity level may be “with assistance,” in which case you should push your nurse-call button if you want to get up. If you are restricted to “bed rest,” there is probably a good reason, and getting up will affect your safety.