BOPDHB Patient Resources Fractured Neck of Femur Patient Handbook- May 2015 | Page 17

1. Children/ family or Pets in the home – someone will need to
make arrangements for their care while you are in hospital.
2. Have family advise any services such as Meals on Wheels not
to come in.

In hospital

Prompts for family/whānau

3. Mats on the floor can be dangerous – you will need to remove
those.
4. A backpack or bum bag is great for carrying mobile phone,
water, pills etc while on crutches
5. Consider the option of a personal alarm if home alone.

Preparing for your operation
Once you have arrived at the Emergency Department, and before
being transferred to the ward, you will have an x-ray to confirm that
a fracture has occurred.
If you are transferred from the Emergency Department to the
Orthopaedic ward before your surgery, you will have a full medical
assessment to determine your general health and fitness for
surgery. During this assessment, you will be asked about your
general health, which medications you take, as well as your living
arrangements.
You will be given pain medication to keep you comfortable. You will
also need to have a urinary catheter put in and a drip inserted into
your arm.
You will be scheduled to have an operation as soon as possible;
however this may be delayed if you are not well enough.
Your skin will be marked by the surgeon to indicate which leg is
being operated on. Your leg will also be washed with a pre-operative
solution. You will be put in a theatre