Before coming to hospital
Get a clothes horse for my laundry . Organise a gardener for six weeks if needed . Organise someone to look after my pets .
Check my house security , cancel paper delivery and organise for my letterbox to be cleared .
Make a list of useful contact numbers .
Remove rugs and mats , loose cords and anything that can be a trip hazard .
Pack ALL my medications / herbal products / alternative medications and supplements .
Preparing for your hospital stay
Smoking and your lungs We strongly advise that you try to avoid getting chest infections ( stay away from people with coughs and colds ) and give up smoking at least two weeks before the operation date . Continuing to smoke doubles your risk of complications , compromises healing and can add to the risk of developing confusion after your operation . It can also intensify the effects of your anaesthetic .
If you need help to quit smoking , please contact resources such as your Doctor ( GP ) or Quitline ( 0800 778 778 ) www . quit . org . nz or www . health . govt . nz \ tobacco
Bay of Plenty District Health Board has a “ No Smoking ” policy onsite and throughout hospital grounds . To minimise withdrawals from nicotine , nicotine patches are available for free for the duration of your hospital stay .
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Alcohol and drugs ( such as Cannabis and P ) We encourage you to minimise your drug / alcohol consumption prior to and after your surgery . Drug / alcohol consumption significantly increases the risk of complications , compromises healing and can