Preparing for Your Stay Checklist

Your Stay with Us: Making Your Time Here Comfortable & Safe

We are committed to providing you with the best possible care during your time with us. To help us ensure your safety, comfort, and the smooth operation of your care team, we kindly ask for your cooperation with the following guidelines regarding your personal belongings.

Please keep the following essential items with you at all times:

• Your Glasses/Contact Lenses: So you can see clearly and interact with your care team and surroundings.
• Your Hearing Aids: Crucial for understanding instructions and participating in your care.
• Your Dentures : Essential for eating, speaking, and maintaining oral hygiene.
• Walker, Cane, or Crutches: If you rely on these for mobility, please keep them at your bedside.
• CPAP/BiPAP Machine : Please inform your nurse upon arrival so we can ensure proper setup and use.
• Other Essential Medical Equipment: If you have any small, personal medical devices that you absolutely need (e.g., specific durable medical equipment prescribed for your daily use that is not provided by the hospital), please discuss this with your nurse. We want to ensure your continuity of care.
• A small amount of personal hygiene items: (e.g., travel-sized toothbrush, toothpaste, small comb/brush). If you prefer a specific unscented soap, for example, a small amount is fine.
• One comfortable outfit for discharge: This can be brought closer to your discharge date if space is limited.
• Necessary electronics: Cell phone and charger.

We kindly request that all other non-essential items be sent home with your family or designated person.
Examples of items we encourage you to send home:

• Valuables: Jewelry, large amounts of cash, credit cards (unless absolutely essential for a specific purpose discussed with staff), expensive electronics (laptops, gaming devices).
• Excess Clothing: Please limit clothing to what is comfortable for your stay and discharge.
• Large Bags/Luggage: These can take up valuable space.
• Unnecessary Electronics: While a phone is fine for communication, please avoid bringing multiple large or expensive devices.
• Knives or blades of any kind: Even small utility knives, pocket knives, multi-tools with blades, or certain craft tools.
• Sporting equipment: Items like baseball bats, golf clubs, martial arts equipment, or hunting tools.
• Self-defense items: Pepper spray, tasers, stun guns, or similar devices.Firearms or ammunition: Absolutely no firearms or ammunition are permitted on hospital property.
• Heavy metal objects or tools: While you might use them for work or hobbies, tools like wrenches, hammers, or large screwdrivers can be misinterpreted in a hospital setting.
• Any item designed or modified to look like a weapon, even if it’s a toy or replica.
• Flammable liquids or chemicals: Lighters. These pose a fire hazard.
• Non-prescription Pharmaceuticals: Nicotine containing products and vapes.

Please discuss your medications with your nurse.

Click here to download a printable PDF.