An overnight hospital stay isn’t exactly something you look forward to—but it can be made a little bit easier by packing the right things. From the everyday essentials to the comforts of home, today we’re breaking down everything you should pack when prepping for a hospital stay.
The Essentials: Your Medical Information
Start by gathering all of the essential medical information and ID cards you’ll need. This includes things like:
- ID cards
- Insurance cards (PRO TIP: If you’re someone’s dependent, make sure you know the plan holder’s DOB and social security number.)
- Address Book or phone entry with your emergency contact numbers
- A list of medications with dosages
- Any relevant health records
If you’re a print person, place hard copies of everything in the list above in a physical folder. If you’re all about digital ease, create a single file you can access from your phone that contains digital copies of everything. Either way, you want to keep everything in one single, safe place for a streamlined, stress-free process. (The last thing you want to have to think about during an overnight hospital stay is where your list of medications is or what in the world happened to your insurance card.)
The Comforts of Home: The Things You Need to Relax
The easiest way to make your overnight hospital stay as painless as possible? Bring along the comforts of home. Ask yourself what it is that makes you most relaxed at home (listening to music, doing a crossword, watching your favorite show, listening to an audio book, reading)—and then bring along the items you need to make that happen. This includes things like:
- Laptop or tablet
- Chargers
- Headphones
- Extra blankets
- Pillows
- Magazines
- Books
The Little Things That Make a Big Difference: Must-Haves for a Happy Hospital Stay
From chapstick to your favorite water bottle, there are a number of seemingly small things that can make a major difference in your comfort level during an overnight hospital stay. A few of our favorites include:
- Chapstick
- Comfortable socks
- Earplugs
- Healthy snacks
- CF PreOp
Ready to start packing? Download our complete overnight hospital stay packing list here.
______________________
Aside from a great packing list, the best overnight hospital stays benefit from a tailored presurgery nutrition plan. Learn all about what to eat before you head into the hospital, then order your CF PreOp and CF Protein for a seamless stay and enhanced recovery. And don’t hesitate to reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all!