What to expect when staying in hospital

Watch our welcome video and find out what to expect when staying in hospital.

Duration: 03:05

Welcome to our hospital. Your wellbeing is our number one priority.

We rely on you to help us keep you safe and comfortable, so it is important to become familiar with our hospital and what to expect.

While you are in hospital, staff will ask you your full name, date of birth and any allergies you may have.

Staff will ask you these questions many times during your stay. We do this as a safety check, so please be patient with us. Tell us if these details are incorrect.

If you need an interpreter, let us know. We provide professional interpreter services in our hospital - at no cost to you. There might be other information we need to know about you.

Please speak with us if you have cultural or religious preferences, or if you have special food requirements.

Sometimes healthcare can be confusing. You might hear words, or of procedures that are new to you.

If you don't understand - that's okay. Don't be afraid to ask us to explain, or to repeat it again.

To keep you safe, our staff will check on you regularly. Use this as an opportunity to ask questions or discuss any concerns you may have.

Staying for too long in one position can cause bed sores, which are painful and not nice.

If you can, try to change your position in bed and call us if you are uncomfortable. We are very happy to help you change position.

To help prevent blood clots, please wear your hospital stockings if you've been asked to, and move as often as you can.

But be careful... You may not be your usual self, and if you have a fall... it may take you longer to recover.

When you go for a walk, wear shoes, or slippers with rubber soles and use your usual walking aids.

If you need help to get out of bed, to reach something or to go to the bathroom, please use the buzzer to ask the nurses for help.

You might be given medication that you haven't had before.

If you don't understand what the medication is for, or you are concerned about the potential side effects, please let us know.

If you are in pain or uncomfortable, tell your nurse or doctors straight away so they can help you.

If you or your loved ones are concerned that your condition is getting worse, not doing as well as expected, or not improving, we want to know. Please talk to your nurse or doctor.

We need your help to prevent infections. Please wash your hands before and after visiting the bathroom and before all meals.

Please remind your visitors and staff to wash their hands too.

When it is time to go home, your doctor or nurse will talk to you about your hospital discharge.

It is important to know what to do when you get home, so ask as many questions as you like.

We can also give you written information and talk to your family or carer.

If you have feedback or want to make a complaint, speak to a staff member.

If you need any other help to make your hospital stay comfortable and safe, please let us know.

This video is also available in Auslan (Australian Sign Language) and with subtitles in languages other than English.

Before you go to hospital

You may need to attend a pre-admission clinic up to 6 weeks before your operation.

If you're having day surgery you'll need to arrange someone to take you home. You can't travel alone on public transport, or in a taxi, if you've had an anaesthetic. Tell the person who will be taking you home that we'll call them when you're ready to leave. Please let us know if you don't have anyone to take you home after your surgery.

Check with your surgeon or anaesthetist if you're using warfarin, aspirin or any other blood thinning medicines. You may need to stop using these medicines.

Please stop taking any other herbal, Chinese or non-prescription medicines 2 weeks before your operation.

Please tell us your care needs

Please tell us if you or your family member have any care needs, such as:

  • if a carer needs to be with you or stay overnight
  • mobility equipment, such as hoists or wheelchairs
  • special foods due to health, disability, cultural or religious needs
  • communication needs due to language, hearing or understanding
  • if a person helps you to make health decisions
  • if you have any behaviour support needs, fear or distress
  • if you require help to eat meals, shower or self-care.

What to bring to hospital

Both overnight and day surgery patients need to bring:

  • your appointment letter or prescription book
  • your Medicare card, Pension card or Health Care Card
  • test results and x-rays
  • a list of medicines you're using
  • reading glasses and any communication devices you need to communicate with staff
  • care information such as Julian’s Key Health Passport, dementia or behaviour support plans.

You are welcome to bring things to do while you wait, such as a book, magazine or knitting and a comfort item to help you stay calm.

If you're staying overnight, please also bring:

  • your admission advice and completed admission form
  • pyjamas or a night gown, dressing gown and non slip footwear
  • toiletries
  • a small amount of money for things like a taxi fare home or using a payphone
  • your mobile phone and charger
  • prescription medicines
  • your x-rays
  • your Medicare card, Pension card or Health Care Card
  • the name and contact number for your next of kin
  • your WorkCover detail, if your illness or injury happened because of work
  • any current advance health directive or enduring power of attorney.
  • contacts for important services like your GP, NDIS or aged care
  • handkerchiefs or tissues.

Please don't bring valuables or large amounts of money with you to hospital. If they go missing, we won't accept responsibility for them.

Medical history

We may ask you to update your medical history when we admit you. Knowing your history helps us keep you, our staff and other patients safe.

You should tell us about any surgery or infections you've had. This includes childhood illnesses such as chicken pox, measles, mumps and rubella.

Tell your nurse if you've been overseas in the past 3 weeks. Also tell them if you've had or have a cough or cold, diarrhoea or vomiting, open wounds or weeping skin sores.

Tell your nurse if you have had a recent fall. Knowing this helps us plan your care and keep you safe.

ID band

We'll put an identification (ID) band on your wrist or ankle when you're in hospital. We use ID bands to make sure you get the right medicine, treatments and procedures.

You'll need to make sure your details are correct and wear your ID band until you leave.

Medicines

Please bring your own medicines with you. You can bring vitamins, herbal supplements or prescriptions from your GP.

When you're in hospital, our pharmacist will review your medicines and make sure you're taking the right ones. They'll also give you any others you may need during your stay.

If we give you new medication while you're in hospital, we'll give you information about the medication and how to take it.

Keep any medicine that you bring with you in a locked bedside drawer while you're in hospital.

Paying for medicines

If you have a Medicare card, you won't pay for any medicines you have while you're in hospital.

You might have to pay for medicines you get when you're discharged. Under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme you may only have to pay for part of the cost of the medicine. You can also use your concession or Health Care Card to get cheaper medicines.

Read more about the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

Allergies

Tell us if you're allergic to any medicines. This includes if you've had any reactions to medicines, food or latex, and how severe your reaction was.

Risk of blood clots

Some people get blood clots while they're in hospital or after surgery.

Your doctor or nurse will assess your risk for developing blood clots, and may give you anti-clotting medicine, compression stockings or pumps that go around your calf or on your feet.

For more information:

Meals

You can usually choose what you get for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day on a menu card. We'll also offer you morning and afternoon tea and supper.

Let us know if you have a food allergy, specific dietary requirements, need to speak to a dietitian, or need help to eat.

If your doctor wants you to have a special diet for your condition they'll discuss this with you.

You may not be able to eat or drink for a few hours before your operation. A nurse will speak with talk to you about this in your pre-admission appointment.

If you have your own food or visitors bring you food, please ask your nurse to check it. Some food may interfere with your treatment. You must keep all food in airtight containers.

Wi-Fi, TV and phones

Free Wi-Fi

We have free Wi-Fi for patients, families and visitors at most of our hospitals and health services.

Select the ‘QH-FreeWiFi’ network on your device.

Network name: QH-FreeWiFi
You don’t need a password.

Read the Queensland Health Wi-Fi Internet Terms of Use that appear on your device. Once you agree and accept, you’ll be connected.

You’ll need to re-accept the terms and conditions after 12 hours of continuous use, or if your device is inactive for more than 30 minutes.

Due to network capacity, streaming websites for movies, radio, TV and other on-demand content such as Netflix, may not work.

Phones

You can use your mobile phone in most parts of the hospital, including your room. We'll let you know if you can't use it.

There are also public telephones in our hospitals. Some hospitals have phones next to the beds.

If you need a TTY (teletypewriter telephone), volume control or large button phone, please ask ward staff, who will arrange one to be connected at your bedside.

TV

Most of our hospital beds have a TV. They're usually operated by an external company and there may be a cost to use it. Please ask our staff for more information about hiring a TV.

No smoking, alcohol and drugs

Smoking isn't allowed in any of our hospitals and health centres.

You can't smoke on the premises, the grounds, or within 5 metres of their boundaries. This rule applies to all staff, patients, visitors, contractors and other people who enter our buildings, grounds or vehicles.

If you smoke, talk to your nurse about getting nicotine gum or patches during your stay.

Read more about quitting smoking on the Quit HQ website or call 13 78 48 to talk to a Quitline counsellor.

You can't use alcohol or illicit drugs at any of our hospitals or health centres. Don't bring them to hospital and ask your visitors not to bring them to the hospital.

Support services

Counselling and spiritual care

We understand that illness, injury and time in hospital can be difficult for you and your family. We have social workers and multi-faith hospital chaplains who can help you during your stay.

Interpreter services

We have free interpreters if you need help to speak and understand English. We have interpreters for spoken languages and Auslan sign language.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support

We have support for Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our hospital liaison officers can provide cultural support and advice to patients, their families and carers.

Other support services

Many of our hospitals have other staff such as helpful volunteers, Nurse Navigators or Multicultural Hospital Liaison officers.

Last updated: May 2025

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