Day Patients

What to bring:

• Correspondence from your doctor(s)
• Past medical history from your GP
• List of your current medications and dosage information
• Medication for the treatment of diabetes
• X-rays and test results relevant to your procedure
• Health fund details and payment for any outstanding fees due on admission
• Medicare Card, Pension Card or other concession cards such as Veterans’ Affairs Entitlement Card Health fund details. (Please confirm your private health insurance status with your health fund)

Medications

You are requested to bring all current medications with you in their original packaging. These will be locked in your bedside cabinet and made available for use during your stay with us. For your safety, please inform nursing staff about any medication you are currently taking. This includes any herbal medications.

Valuables

We strongly recommend that you do not bring any valuables to hospital. We do not accept responsibility for patient’s valuables.

Smoke-free environment

The whole North Shore Private and Royal North Shore campus, including buildings and grounds is smoke-free.

If you are having an endoscopy or colonoscopy, you will be accommodated in individual change rooms and then transferred to an endoscopy procedure room. Your belongings will go with you. After the procedure, you will spend time in the unit’s Recovery and lounge. It takes approximately 3 hours from the time of your admission to your discharge. Nursing staff will contact your friend/relative when you are ready to leave.

If you are having surgery, you will be admitted to a pre-op room, then transported to our theatre suite. After your operation, you will spend time in Recovery, and then be transferred to the Short Stay Unit to fully recuperate. The length of time from admission to discharge depends on the type of operation but is usually about 6 hours. Please check with nursing staff for more details.

Visitors

The Short Stay Unit requests that visitors be limited to one family member or friend. Visitors are not permitted in Recovery.

For children under 12, we welcome both parents to visit their child while in the Short Stay Unit.

You must arrange for someone to drive you or accompany you home in a taxi

Prior to your discharge you will be given instructions to follow when you get home. Please clarify any concerns or questions about your post procedure care before you leave. At home, if you have any concerns, please contact your doctor or general practitioner. After hours, please contact your nearest hospital emergency department.

The major effects of your anaesthetic or sedation wear off quickly, however minor effects on memory, balance and muscle function may persist for some hours. These effects vary from person to person and are not individually predictable. Because of this please note the following

• By law you are not permitted to drive within 24 hours after an anaesthetic or sedation.
• You should be accompanied by a relative or friend from the Short Stay Unit to home and it is strongly advised that an adult stay with you overnight following discharge.
• You should not operate machinery, schedule any important meetings or sign legal papers for 24 hours.

Before you leave hospital, please make sure you have the following:

• a discharge letter
• all personal belongings
• all x-rays and scans
• completed the Customer Comment Card

On your way out, please see ground floor reception.

WiFi

Wifi is available throughout the hospital. See any of our reception desks for login details

Television

All televisions have Foxtel, free-to-air channels and FM radio.

Interpreter services

The Translating and Interpreter Service (TIS) is available 24 hours a day and provides an interpreting service for doctors and specialists. If you would like an interpreter at any stage of your hospitalisation, please speak with your doctor or nurse. Charges may apply for this service.

ATM

ATM is available on the Ground Level in Hudson’s Café and also at the Royal North Shore Hospital.

Pharmacy

The Pharmacy is located on the ground floor. In addition to pharmaceuticals, you’ll find many personal items and small gifts, magazines and chocolates. The Pharmacy operates between 9:00am and 5:30pm weekdays. 

Hudsons Coffee Shop

Hudsons is located on the ground floor next to the hospital reception.

Hudsons supply a selection of fresh sandwiches, pastries, quiches and salads as well as coffee and drinks. Please let the staff know if you have any special dietary requirements and they will be happy to advise food choices.

Taxi service

A free call taxi phone is located on the ground floor opposite the pharmacy.