What To Expect During Your Hospital Stay

Your Hospital Stay

What to Expect

You're coming to the hospital for outpatient tests or inpatient admission. What do you need to bring with you? What should you leave at home? How can your family contact you? How can you contact them?

A trip to the hospital can be confusing, but it doesn't need to be if you prepare before-hand. We have put together a short list of do's and don'ts for our patients. Please call ahead if you have any questions regarding your visit with us.

Do's

DO bring your physician's signed prescription with the test information if you were given one.
DO bring a photo ID, such as a driver's license.
DO bring your insurance card(s). We must verify that your insurance coverage has not changed each and every time you visit.
DO bring a list of the medications and dosages you are currently taking.

Don'ts

DON'T bring jewelry or other valuables. The hospital is not responsible for the loss of valuable articles that you choose to keep with you. We urge you to send jewelry, credit cards, keys, important papers, and large amounts of cash home with a family member for safekeeping. If you must bring valuables with you, please ask about having them placed in the hospital's safe during your visit/stay. You may want to keep a few dollars for newspapers, magazines, etc., which volunteers can help you purchase.
DON'T bring your own medications. While you are in the hospital, we are required by law to dispense all of your medications.
DON'T bring alcohol or other drugs.
DON'T bring electronic gadgets such as laptop computers, cell phones, etc., unless first inspected and approved by the hospital engineering department. Some electronic equipment can interfere with the delicate telemetry monitoring stations in certain areas of the hospital.

If you are going to be admitted, you will be provided with hospital gowns and slippers during your stay. It is not necessary to bring your own sleepwear. You will also be given a kit with lotion, tissues and other necessities.

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours vary for each nursing unit, please check below for times:

Emergency Departments
Due to limited space, safety and privacy issues, Emergency Department physicians and nurses may allow one visitor per patient (immediate family only) in the treatment area. A parent will be allowed to accompany a minor child throughout the Emergency Department visit.

Sebring Hospital
General Medical & Surgical Units - 8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Intensive Care Unit - Open visiting hours limited to two visitors at a time.
Women's Center & Birthing Center - Unlimited hours for immediate family, 8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. for other visitors.

Lake Placid Hospital
General Medical & Surgcal Units - 11:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Intensive Care Unit - 8:00 a.m. - 6:30 a.m., limited to immediate family only, two visitors at a time.
Senior Behavioral Unit - 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Wauchula Hospital
General Medical & Surgical Units - 8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Transitional Care Unit - Open visting hours.

Guidelines for Visitors

Please wear shirts, shoes, and appropriate attire.
Do not provide food or beverages to the patient without checking with the nurse prior.
Visitors ar elimited to two people at a time to minimize noise and overexertion.
Nurse will determine the length of visiting time based on the patient's condition.
You may be asked to leave the room when treatments are given.
If the patient is on "isolation precautions," then the nurse will instruct you in necessary procedures.
For your well being and that of our patients, please check with the nurse before visiting if you have having signs or symptons of illness.
Depending on the age or condition of the patient, the family may request overnight accommodations.
Check with the nurse for any exceptions to these guidelines.
Please do not bring food or beverages into the lobbies.
Children 12 years of age and under may visit when with a responsible adult.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted within any of our hospital facilities. If you or your visitors wish to smoke, covered, screened areas are provided at each hospital campus for this purpose. PLEASE do not smoke outside hospital entrances. This is a violation of hospital policy, and persons found smoking at the entrances will be asked to move to the designated smoking area.

Parking

Parking for patients and visitors is available in front of the hospital’s main entrance, and may be accessed from Sun 'n Lake Boulevard. Parking is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All parking is complimentary. Patients and visitors are cautioned not to park in reserved areas, or areas designated for physicians, employees, or clergy. Please be sure to lock your car. If you need assistance to your car, call the operator by dialing 0.

Telephone

All local calls from the phone in your room are free. Dial "9" followed by the local number. Long distance calls must be made through an outisde operator using a credit card or by calling collect. To reach the outside operator, dail "9" then "0."

Pay phones are located at each hospital. In Sebring, they are at the registration desk at the front entrance and also in the emergency department entrance. In Lake Placid, they are located in the main lobby. In Wauchula, they are next to the gift shop in the lobby and on the second floor waiting room.

ATM

There is an ATM located at the entrance of the the Sebring cafeteria.

Food & Beverages

Wholesome, nourishing and well-balanced meals are an important part of your treatment and recovery. Florida Hospital Heartland Division makes every effort to provide nutritious meals that are prepared according to your doctor’s orders.

Patients are served breakfast between 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., lunch between 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner between 5 to 6 p.m. Occasionally, your meal may be delayed if you are scheduled for a special test or treatment. Whenever possible, you will be served after your test or examination.

Each day, you will receive a menu from which you can order your next day’s meals. Please mark your menu so it will be ready for pickup by 10:30 a.m. If you are on a special diet prescribed by your doctor, you will receive menus tailored to your specific needs.

If you would like to have a family member or friend eat in your room with you, they may go to the cafeteria and get a take-out meal to dine in your room with you. Cafeterias are located at each campus.

Vending machines are also available. In Sebring, they are located outside the emergency department waiting room. In Lake Placid, they are located between the emergency department and outpatient lobbies. In Wauchula, they are located in the hall south of the emergency room corridor.

Cafeterias

Cafeterias are located on each campus and offer nutritional food and beverage for visitors and staff. All accept cash or one-party checks as payment. The operating hours ar as follows:

Sebring
Monday - Friday 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Breakfast 6:00 - 9:00 a.m. Monday - Friday
Lunch 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. daily
Dinner 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. daily

Lake Placid
Daily 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Breakfast 6:00 - 10:00 a.m. Monday - Friday (full breakfast) , Saturday & Sunday (continental breakfast)
Lunch 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. daily
Dinner 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. daily

Wauchula
Daily 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Breakfast 8:30 - 10:00 a.m. Monday - Friday (full breakfast), Saturday & Sunday (continental breakfast)
Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. daily
Dinner not available

Gift Shop

You will find a variety of cards, gifts, magazines and personal care items in the gift shops located near the main lobbies. The gift shops are operated by volunteers and the proceeds fund special hospital projects. The operating hours are:

Sebring: Sunday 2:00 - 6:00 p.m., Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and closed Saturday.
Lake Placid: Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Sunday 12:00 - 8:00 p.m., closed Saturday.
Wauchula: Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Sunday 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. closed Saturday.

If you are confined to your room but would like to purchase an item from the gift shop, a volunteer can assist you. Our volunteers will also deliver any flowers, gifts or mail that arrive for you. To request this service, please contact Volunteer Services during business hours in Sebring at x3368, Lake Placid x4368 and Wauchula x8114.

Mail

Letters and packages for patients are delivered each afternoon Monday through Friday by volunteers. Letters and parcels that arrive after you have been discharged are forwarded to your home. Stamps and stationery may be purchased in the gift shop. Outgoing mail may be left at the nurses’ station or dropped in any outgoing mailbox before 1:00 p.m. for that day's trip to the post office.

Wireless Internet Access

Patients and their visitors can take advantage of free internet access at the Sebring hospital. Guests are able to log onto the Florida Hospital Heartland Division wireless network from the cafeteria with a special password they can receive from the switchboard, the charge nurse or any nurses’ station. With their laptop, wireless card and password, guests and patients can log onto the internet. As long as the guest computer is equipped with a wireless capability, when turned on the computer should automatically detect the wireless network. Once the computer finds the network, it will prompt you for the temporary password.

Newspapers

Newspapers may be purchased from stands located at all hospitals:

Sebring - outside the Emergency Department in Sebring, offering Highlands Today and Tampa Tribune.
Lake Placid - outisde the front entrance, offering Tampa Tribune, News Sun and The Journal.
Wauchula - outside the front entrance, offering the Herald Advocate, Lakeland Ledger, and DeSoto Sun.

Interpreters

The hospital maintains a list of individuals who speak foreign languages and can serve as interpreters for patients and their families. Check with your nurse for additional information.

Hearing-Impaired

The switchboards in Sebring and Lake Plcaid are equipped to receive calls from telecommunications devices for the hearing impaired (TDD).

Social Services

Social workers are assigned to each patient care area and are trained to help patients and family members deal with financial, social and emotional problems that relate to illness or hospitalization. Members of the department work with patients and families to help deal with long-term illnesses and rehabilitation, and are involved in discharge planning.

Contact Us

Sebring: Our main phone number is (863) 314-4466. Ask for the patient’s room and the call will be transferred. We are located at 4200 Sun ‘n Lake Boulevard, Sebring, Florida 33872.

Lake Placid: Our main phone number is (863) 465-3777. Ask for the patient’s room and the call will be transferred. We are located at 1210 US Highway 27 North, Lake Placid, Florida 33852.

Wauchula: Our main phone number is (863) 773-3101. Ask for the patient’s room and the call will be transferred. We are located at 533 West Carlton Street, Wauchula, Florida 33873.