Your stay
Items to bring into hospital
Please bring with you:
nightwear, dressing gown, day clothing, slippers
- personal toilet needs such as soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, razor (battery operated or disposable only), mirror, etc
- glasses, hearing aid, dentures and walking aids unless otherwise advised
- other items for personal use, e.g. pen, writing material, magazines, books, envelopes, stamps
- medications:those prescribed by your doctor and any others you are currently taking (including herbal remedies)
- phone card / or cash for coin phone. cash for newspaper, etc
- non-New Zealand residents, please bring your passport and visa
- children, please bring your favourite toy or cuddly.
Laptops and mobile phones:
- you are allowed to bring your own laptops to the ward but you need to make your own connection arrangements
- you are allowed to use mobile phones on the ward but be considerate of other patients and set your mobile to silent
- the wards get very busy so please ask your families and friends to limit the number of calls to the ward
Do not bring:
- medications / drugs which you are not legally entitled to use and which should not and can not be on the premises
- alcohol
- your own television
- large amounts of money as we are unable to provide safe storage.
Personal items are brought into hospital at your own risk. This means that if you lose them Health Waikato will not accept responsibility for their loss.
Note
Health Waikato accepts
NO liability for loss or any damage that may occur to patients' personal property:
- please ensure personal belongings are clearly labelled
- arrange for someone to do your personal laundry
- keep valuable property at home.
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On admission
On admission. please check with the booking clerk or receptionist that your personal details are correct / updated (i.e. address, next of kin, ethnicity, GP details, etc).
During your stay at Waikato Hospital you may be cared for by a number of staff with differing expertise and skills. All staff wear an identity badge whether they are in uniform or not (if you are unsure who staff are, please ask).
On arrival to the ward, you should be shown how to use the call bell. This is located beside your bed to enable you to call for assistance should you require it at anytime. A nurse / midwife will answer as soon as possible.
Please arrange with nursing staff a lead family/whanau support person to communicate with other whanau/family and friends.
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Television and radio usage on the wards
Television sets are available for hire from Waikato DHB service approved contractors. Information regarding hirage is available from inpatient areas. These sets are electronically checked and have earplugs.
Radios
ALL radios brought into the hospital MUST have earplugs and be battery operated.
Radio transmitting equipment
CBs and ham radios are
not allowed because of their effect on hospital electronic equipment.
All use of televisions, radios, Playstations, etc must take into account of the needs of other patients for a quiet environment - must be used with earplugs.
Note
Health Waikato accepts
NO liability for loss or any damage that may occur.
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Smoking
| Health Waikato has a Smokefree policy.
All visitors, outpatients and contractors wishing to smoke must do so outside Waikato District Health Board grounds.
For support to become smokefree please ask our staff to refer you to the stop smoking service. |
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Discharge
On discharge from Waikato Hospital, you will be given a discharge letter that has information on:
- your medication (if any)
- health care providers which you may be eligible to access
- follow up care which may be needed
- notify your GP (if you have one).
Please ask your nurse / midwife or doctor if you have any queries about your healthcare on discharge. Please arrange to leave the hospital in a timely manner following your clearance for discharge.
Need transport home?
Crisis Care members are St John volunteers based in Hamilton who are available to offer practical help and support when needed.
They are on call 24/7 and may be able to assist patient's relatives in
many ways and the transporting of discharged patients after all other
options have failed.
They travel as far as Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Morrinsville and Huntly.
If you think they can help, give them a call on 0800 206 406.
Duty nurse managers also have information about St John Crisis Care if needed.
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Self discharge
If you choose to leave the hospital against your doctor's advice, you will be asked to sign a special form. This form states that you accept responsibility for the consequences of leaving the hospital.
We encourage you to think very carefully before deciding to discharge yourself and make sure that you understand what could occur if you do so.
Please discuss options for the management of your care with staff.
Discharging yourself does not stop you from being re-admitted at some other time or being referred to community services.
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Transit Lounge
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The Transit Lounge is an exciting facility for Waikato Hospital.
It is a purpose built facility for patients who have a delay in their discharge process.
Whether it is because they are waiting to be transferred to another facility, being picked up by family/friends or they are waiting for a prescription.
The Transit Lounge is located next to the carpark building on level B3.
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Getting involved...
Customer satisfaction surveys
Every month Health Waikato sends satisfaction surveys to randomly selected people who have recently been patients in our hospital.
We would greatly appreciate your completion of a survey if you receive one, as we use the information to improve our services to patients.
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