When checking into a hospital: "WHAT CAN'T YOU BRING"..??

[Sourdough]

I have NOT checked into a hospital in 47 years. I am building my (GTHMCH) "Going to the hospital might come home" BAG (actually a PELICAN 1560 Case).

Question: Do they inspect the stuff in your bag/case....??? What is NOT allowed..?? Same as TSA airline check-in.....??? Pocket knife (what size limit)..?? A bottle of Tequila, etc. A limit on conservative thinking books, or subjects, porn....???

 

[Sourdough]

@Caribou this might be a good question for you.....???

 

[Caribou]

I have NOT checked into a hospital in 47 years. I am building my (GTHMCH) "Going to the hospital might come home" BAG (actually a PELICAN 1560 Case).

Question: Do they inspect the stuff in your bag/case....??? What is NOT allowed..?? Same as TSA airline check-in.....??? Pocket knife (what size limit)..?? A bottle of Tequila, etc. A limit on conservative thinking books, or subjects, porn....???

When going into the hospital for a regular doctor visit I wear my sidearm. When I get x-rays, ETC. I'm allowed to get undressed in private and usually a locked locker to place my things in. When I got medi-vaced to Seattle they went through my bag. To check in overnight in Anchorage I leave my gun at home but I'm unaware of them going through my things. If I can be of help, let me know.

 

[elkhound]

i do know my local hospital is very clear no firearms on property and its well posted at all points saying so about it and they have armed security now. i noticed too that theres new security doors that you cant just walk through from various sections of hospital. you have to have clearance and doors get unlocked from checkpoints away from those doors.

 

[Caribou]

i do know my local hospital is very clear no firearms on property and its well posted at all points saying so about it and they have armed security now. i noticed too that theres new security doors that you cant just walk through from various sections of hospital. you have to have clearance and doors get unlocked from checkpoints away from those doors.

It's more relaxed around here. I've carried into four different hospitals and numerous doctors offices. I upset one doc but I suspect that she is a liberal. I keep my firearm concealed but I've seen open carry at my pain med doctors. I've discussed guns with numerous doctors and their staff. Yes, there are signs at the hospitals but all they can do is kick you out. Most don't care as long as you don't wave it around.

I was getting a shot, a painful one, in my butt. I asked the dock if he could use the left cheek. He asked why. I said, because I pack on my right side. He didn't even blink.

 

[Curmudgeon]

I have NOT checked into a hospital in 47 years. I am building my (GTHMCH) "Going to the hospital might come home" BAG (actually a PELICAN 1560 Case).

Question: Do they inspect the stuff in your bag/case....??? What is NOT allowed..?? Same as TSA airline check-in.....??? Pocket knife (what size limit)..?? A bottle of Tequila, etc. A limit on conservative thinking books, or subjects, porn....???

No one checked anything I had or that was brought in to me, and that was 2 separate and distinct facilities

 

[Peanut]

4/5 yrs ago I had several hosp stays at 3 different places. Main hospital in the big city - thorough search. I had to go thru the security check in ER which has metal detectors. Next was a smaller hosp in the big town, thorough search but no metal detectors. Last was a small rural hosp, the security check consisted of 'Got any weapons'... 'No'...

If it's a big hosp in a big city with lots of crime, especially those with gang problems, you can expect a rigorous check. Plus, big hospitals can afford metal detector doors, wands, the standard fare. Small rural hospitals don't have gangs or shootings in the ER. Or the cash for tight security. Things are a bit more relaxed.

That said... where there's a will there's a way.

 

[Magus]

I have NOT checked into a hospital in 47 years. I am building my (GTHMCH) "Going to the hospital might come home" BAG (actually a PELICAN 1560 Case).

Question: Do they inspect the stuff in your bag/case....??? What is NOT allowed..?? Same as TSA airline check-in.....??? Pocket knife (what size limit)..?? A bottle of Tequila, etc. A limit on conservative thinking books, or subjects, porn....???

No weapons period, No guns, ANY knife, and sometimes they whine about nail clippers.
DO NOT bring more than fifty dollars with you and be sure it's in small bills.
Only 1 credit card and 3 forms of ID.
Do not bring your food stamp card UNLESS your health care is on it.
NO jewelry.
No games. no tablets, no laptops.
ALL of this is subject to theft if you have to leave it somewhere, or just get "lost".
Only bring a minimum of clothing, 1 change max unless you know you're staying.
No outside food, unless you clear it with the Dr. Bottled water and protein bars, are generally OK. Try not to dress like you're headed to church, the more uninteresting you look the better.
DO bring:
Your medicare and insurance cards.
3 forms of ID+ proof of residence.
a pillow.
A list of meds you're on.
List of allergies.
self-contained snacks like chips or cliff bars all drinks must have a lid.
A book.
a zip lock bag with paper towels or tissues.
A face mask and rubber gloves. Waiting rooms are breeding grounds for disease!
Hand cleaner.
gum?

 

[Pearl]

No weapons period, No guns, ANY knife, and sometimes they whine about nail clippers.
DO NOT bring more than fifty dollars with you and be sure it's in small bills.
Only 1 credit card and 3 forms of ID.
Do not bring your food stamp card UNLESS your health care is on it.
NO jewelry.
No games. no tablets, no laptops.
ALL of this is subject to theft if you have to leave it somewhere, or just get "lost".
Only bring a minimum of clothing, 1 change max unless you know you're staying.
No outside food, unless you clear it with the Dr. Bottled water and protein bars, are generally OK. Try not to dress like you're headed to church, the more uninteresting you look the better.
DO bring:
Your medicare and insurance cards.
3 forms of ID+ proof of residence.
a pillow.
A list of meds you're on.
List of allergies.
self-contained snacks like chips or cliff bars all drinks must have a lid.
A book.
a zip lock bag with paper towels or tissues.
A face mask and rubber gloves. Waiting rooms are breeding grounds for disease!
Hand cleaner.
gum?

And if they have you remove dentures or a partial, hang on to them!! I know THREE older people who had their's LOST by hospital staff!!

 

[DrJenner]

No weapons period, No guns, ANY knife, and sometimes they whine about nail clippers.
DO NOT bring more than fifty dollars with you and be sure it's in small bills.
Only 1 credit card and 3 forms of ID.
Do not bring your food stamp card UNLESS your health care is on it.
NO jewelry.
No games. no tablets, no laptops.
ALL of this is subject to theft if you have to leave it somewhere, or just get "lost".
Only bring a minimum of clothing, 1 change max unless you know you're staying.
No outside food, unless you clear it with the Dr. Bottled water and protein bars, are generally OK. Try not to dress like you're headed to church, the more uninteresting you look the better.
DO bring:
Your medicare and insurance cards.
3 forms of ID+ proof of residence.
a pillow.
A list of meds you're on.
List of allergies.
self-contained snacks like chips or cliff bars all drinks must have a lid.
A book.
a zip lock bag with paper towels or tissues.
A face mask and rubber gloves. Waiting rooms are breeding grounds for disease!
Hand cleaner.
gum?

This is a great list and good advice.
Bringing a firearm these days to a hospital will likely result in prosecution. Everyone is very on edge as there have been lots of threats.
Leave your wedding rings, earrings, necklaces or any other rings at home. If you have a prolonged stay, sometimes you can get fluid overloaded and rings have to be cut off. If they are removed, sometimes they get lost.

I will add (for your comfort):

Several pairs of underwear
Toothbrush/toothpaste: hospital has these but they are terrible
Comb/brush + hairties if needed
warm socks, blanket from home if you are going to stay awhile (It can get cold)
Phone + phone charger
Any toiletries you want (shampoo/conditioner, body soap). Hospital should have towels and washcloths.
PJs
List of phone numbers and names for contact people (ie..who makes medical decisions for you should you be unable to)

 

[Amish Heart]

No weapons. No prescriptions or OTC. (although we do this anyway, ha), I don't know about outside food, but I did bring in a homemade dark chocolate cream pie for my husband when he was just in the hospital because it was his birthday. The amish lady cousins came in and we had a party. They will freak out if they see food and have decided that you're not allowed to eat because of a procedure you're having. Husband brought in his own bipap machine and catheters, and that was fine.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I guess they'd frown on bringing in a couple cigars and a bottle of scotch too.

 

[Magus]

You MIGHT actually get away with the liquor. depending on what the service is.
They let my dad have a half pint a day until they cut on him and had to use pain
killers. but this was late 70s.

 

[Sourdough]

No prescriptions or OTC

I find this interesting. Not doubting it, just interesting.

 

[Caribou]

I find this interesting. Not doubting it, just interesting.

They won't let me take my own prescriptions but they will provide the same drugs. They replaced my diabetes meds with insulin. They really demand control of what goes into your body.

 

[Amish Heart]

Yep. Did that with husband's insulin in July. But they weren't bringing in enough. I brought some in.

 

[angie_nrs]

And if they have you remove dentures or a partial, hang on to them!! I know THREE older people who had their's LOST by hospital staff!!

Yup....happened all the time and dentures/partials are not cheap. Hearing aids and sometimes glasses got lost or broke too if you were dealing with a confused or lethargic patient. Most of the time those items were left on a food tray and the cafeteria folks wouldn't pay much attention and just scrape things away if they were hidden under a kleenex or napkin.

When I worked at our local hospital patient bags were not inspected by staff. We didn't have security either. The only time we would consider going through someones stuff is if they were suspected of hoarding narcotics. We had one patient do that. He'd cheek the pills and collect them in a bag. Some nurses left meds at his bed and left without watching him take it.....a big no no.

Patients were instructed not to bring their meds from home. However, if the hospital didn't have access to a particular rare med, they would be allowed to bring it in, but nurses would keep it in the med cabinet and administer it.

I wouldn't bring anything you don't want to get damaged or lost. Most rooms only have a small closet and drawer and they don't have locks. When you're gone for a test or out cold, you never know who can enter your room. Don't bring your favorite glasses, rings, or anything. Take stuff you won't mind losing. I'd also recommend taking slippers, books, phone, or anything that will pass the time and add a bit of comfort. Earplugs or earbuds aren't a bad idea either. Some roommates or their visitors are super annoying or just plain noisy. Hospitals (in general) are not quiet places at night either, so those earplugs could come in handy at night.

 

[Proud Prepper]

Don't forget a permanent marker.

 

[joel]

I have stayed over night three times, most is out surgery, so DW keep every thing in a bag, nothing lost.

 

[UrbanHunter]

The wife is on some meds that the nurses on her hospital floor were not allowed to administer, it really created an issue until her doctor spoke up. She was in for a week and I was carrying in an IV bag (including pump and batteries) every 3 days, it really freaked the nurses out. One nurse watched as the wife changed her own IV, cleaned her central port line using saline and heparin; then the nurse commented that she had never seen it done with that much rigor.

Another thing that we learned was that the hospital low salt diet had about 3 times as much sodium as our home diet. That was tough to resolve.

The final thing that I will comment on is that some hospitals use beds that have built in scales so the nurses don't measure the fluids the way they used to. This only becomes a problem if the patient decided to keep their purse or personal medical machines in bed with them (adding ~10 pound to their indicated weight). Wife did that and by the time they realized what had happened they had actually dehydrated her and did permanent damage to her system, she now has to take massive amounts of potassium every day as a result.

 

[angie_nrs]

Don't forget a permanent marker.

I didn't work in surgery, but sometimes when I received patients post op there'd be a NOT THIS ONE written on the opposite limb. In all honesty, it's really not a bad idea.....cheap insurance as far as I'm concerned.

The final thing that I will comment on is that some hospitals use beds that have built in scales so the nurses don't measure the fluids the way they used to.

Back in my day, that was only done in the ICU if a patient had a plethora of lines and tubes that made it exceptionally difficult to get them to a scale. But with those patients, I & O's (intakes and outputs) are typically easy to track. That, along with lab work would give a pretty accurate picture of fluid status. Generally, we used a hoyer lift for an accurate weight on a bed ridden patient as opposed to a bed scale. Keeping track of I & O's was much easier with just foleys, drains, and IV's, But it can also be done by documenting an accurate measure of oral intake and using a potty hat in the toilet for outputs as long as you had a cooperative patient that was mobile.

 

[backlash]

Last hospital I was at the security was just like the airport.
It depends on their risk factor. If the hospital is in an area with high violent crimes then security will be higher.
Hospital beds have improved.We had ICU beds that could be programed to speak a lot of different languages. One doc spoke Polish and he thought it was fun.
My dad's doc signed his name on the leg he was going to cut on. He said no signature no cuting.