Advice after your nerve block for surgery
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Main points to remember
- Read and follow the washing and care instructions for washable items.
- Always ensure personal items are taken back home with you.
- Do not share non-washable items with other patient while in hospital.
Patient Clothing
- Ensure that your clothing is kept in your locker, when not in use. Do not hang clothing from curtain rails or over radiators. This should prevent items becoming lost or soiled, and allow staff to carry out cleaning around your bed-space.
- Clothing that has been worn during your hospital stay should be kept in separate bag from clean clothes, ready for laundry at home.
- Frimley Health does not have on-site laundry facilities for the cleaning of patient clothing and therefore staff are unable to clean patient clothing in our hospitals.
- Soiled clothing / clothing from patients with infectious disease:
- Personal clothing, which has been soiled during a hospital stay, will be placed in a separate bag from other clothing and stored inside your locker. Handle laundry items with care when taking them out of the bag, trying not to shake them before placing in the washing machine. It is advisable that these clothes are not taken to public launderettes.
When the clothes are laundered at home:
- Wash the soiled clothes on a separate wash.
- Wash them at the highest temperature recommended on the care label of the clothing.
- Ensure that you wash your hands with soap and water after handling soiled clothing.
Bed Linen
Some patients will wish to bring in items, such as a favourite pillow, into hospital for their stay.
- Label your items prior to admission and do not share linen items with other patients.
- When taking these items back home, clean them as directed by the care labels.
Toys
Toys can be a source of comfort and security for children coming into hospital, and can help the stay in hospital be a less frightening one.
- Communal toys within the hospital have a regime for regular cleaning.
- Patients’ own toys should be labelled if possible, and must not be shared with other children on the ward.
- Toys that have been soiled during a stay in hospital should be taken home to clean, as per the cleaning instructions for the toy.
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Infection prevention and control (IPC) service.
About this information
Service:
Infection prevention and control (IPC)
Reference:
LL/007
Approval date:
23 December 2024
Review date:
1 December 2027
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.