CPAP in the hospital

[Gerryk]

When I had my UPPP surgery my doc instructed me to bring my cpap machine to the hospital. Of course people saw it and asked what's that. I explained it was my cpap for sleep apnea and they would say oh ok. Others knew what it was and said we have to contact such n such and have your machine checked. I said fine have them come to me the machine doesn't leave my side.

An electrician came up started to walk away with the machine and I stopped him and explained so he checked it right there. Damn, I check the thing more thoroughly than he did. I always use a quality surge protector and I do check the voltage in the house once in a while. I have a very good UPS on one of my computers and if their are any electrical problems such as low voltage it let's know and I wait to turn the machine on.

I made each nurse and aid on each shift sit down and listen to me explain my cpap machine. I explained what it did and how it worked. I didn't go into great detail just enough. I also explained how the humidifier chamber when into the machine and came out and that the machine was not to be touched, bumped or looked at cross eyes once the humidifier chamber was filled and installed in the machine.

I figured they would all be rolling their eyes at me but all thanked me for explaining the machine and how to prevent damaging it from moving it.

All it did was take a few minutes and everyone understood the machine. The nurses actually checked the machine if I was asleep when they came in to check on me. When I was checking out the charge nurse thanked me for explaining the machine to her staff after I complimented her on her staff.

To put it short, just tale a couple minutes to explain your expensive little piece of medical equipment.

Gerry

[Kiralynx]

Gerry,

This is a good explanation of how to proceed in hospital. Thanks.

[BeanMeScot]

I'm glad they were open to listening!

[vipertec]

Good post!,I am kind of surprised the hospital didn't force you to use theirs ,this way they can charge you a bazillion dollars for it's use! maybe they don't have one in the hospital ,but i bet next time you go there they will.

[Ruby Vee]

Hospitals don't have enough CPAP machines to go around -- another good reason to bring your own!

[vipertec]

Hospitals don't have enough CPAP machines to go around -- another good reason to bring your own!

I didn't think of that but if i ever end up in the hospital ,I'm going to bring my own machine

[Jeeper]

I am preparing to go into the hospital for a total knee replacement. I always keep an up-to-date list of all meds both prescription and OTC. The list includes the cpap and pressure. The list is given to the doctor at each visit. As I was going through the hospital pre-admission process last week the nurse reminded me to take my cpap to the hospital along with the meds I can take following surgery. I was in the same hospital two years ago for my other knee and the hospital staff was great. They helped me set up the cpap and made sure it was ready for me whenever I slept. They even provided an O2 adapter for the cpap hose should it be needed.

Jeeper

[kebsa]

i just recently had a relatively minor surgery and was asked to take my machine with me, knowing that most hospitals do not want electronic devices plugged in that have not been checked by their own people i made a point of ring to see if there was going to be any problems with me using my machine and i was told that as it was a medical device, there would be no problems but i was still half expecting they to try to take it for testing and like you i would have refused to let them take it away.

I fully expected that i would need to set it up myself as most nurses who do not work in ICU do not know the ins and outs of cpap ( i have been a nurse for 28 years and i know that patients generally have to teach ward staff about their gear)- my biggest concern was that if i set it up with the humidifer filled some bright spark may have moved it for some reason (they were not sure if i would go straight back to my room or spend the 1st night in high dependency so they may have moved my gear) so i decided that i could manage without the humidifier for at least that first night and i removed it to be safe

my only complaint was that i was very very dopey/drowsey when i got back to the room and i did manage to put my mask on and turn it on, they came in to check my observations at 2am and had asked me some questions so i had had to take the mask off to reply, i was still really dopey and actually fell asleep again before i was able to get the mask back on- i was woken at 6 am and still had the mask in my lap!, they girl commented that sht thought i was meant to use it when ever i was asleep and i told that was right but given the drowsiness from the medications they used, i would have hoped that the nursing staff would have woken me if i had dozed off again before i had been able to get it on again as i probably would have needed ir more than usual due to the degree of drowsiness! i was rather concerned and dissappointed that they had not been able to think this through and realize what they should have done, they had an oximeter probe on my finger and that had shown that my levels were dripping down the between 70 and 80% and they still had not acted on that!

i guess next time i will have to spell it out completely from wo to go!

[gasparama]

I am preparing to go into the hospital for a total knee replacement. I always keep an up-to-date list of all meds both prescription and OTC. The list includes the cpap and pressure. The list is given to the doctor at each visit. As I was going through the hospital pre-admission process last week the nurse reminded me to take my cpap to the hospital along with the meds I can take following surgery. I was in the same hospital two years ago for my other knee and the hospital staff was great. They helped me set up the cpap and made sure it was ready for me whenever I slept. They even provided an O2 adapter for the cpap hose should it be needed.

Jeeper

I had a TKR a year ago on Friday. The hospital did attach oxygen through the mask. It was simple. However, I felt like I should remove the mask and talk every time someone came into the room. Of course, that was my problem. That TKR has been a great thing. I don't way to hijack this thread, but I wish you the best. Let us know how it all goes when you get back in a few days.

Jane