How To Improve Terrible Hospital Discharge Instructions
I had a minor procedure, but the instructions for care going home were woefully inadequate.
As operations go, this one was minor. A small lump was removed from under my arm. It turned out to be benign. I did have general anesthesia, so whatever I was told upon discharge, I remembered little because of the drugs. Printed instructions were given to me, and the gist is shown in the above screenshot taken from my online medical record.
I had questions. Cold therapy was in the form of disposable ice bags. The ice helped, but how long to keep the ice on and how often? Who knows? It was never defined. I knew enough about medicine and surgery to know that too much ice can burn the skin, but details were lacking. However, I could easily envision another patient falling asleep with an ice bag attached to their arm.
How about the sterile dressing and mini-bandages underneath? How long before they could be removed? I had no clue. For that, I had to call the doctor’s office.
And what about the activity? This was my right (dominant) arm. How long before I could lift anything heavy? How heavy, how often, and for what duration? If I were not a doctor, going to the gym and pressing 100 pounds would be okay since they didn’t tell me I could not. I recall asking my surgeon if I could practice…
