Your hospital admission
The following information will help you plan for coming to Fiona Stanley Hospital or Fremantle Hospital and understand the admission process.
You can also read about what to expect during your hospital stay and going home (being discharged).
Please be sure to bring with you:
- your admission letter – this will contain all the details of your appointment at, including where to go when you arrive at the hospital.
- your Medicare card and your private hospital insurance card, if you have one
- details of your employer and the date, time and place of your accident, if you are covered by Workers’ Compensation or the Motor Vehicle Insurance Trust
- the name and address of your general practitioner (GP)
- emergency contact details for your next-of-kin
- any medications you may be taking, including any natural medicines and supplements –your GP may be able to print you a list of your prescribed medications to bring to hospital.
- copies of reports from any scans related to your condition
- sleepwear, dressing gown and non-slip slippers (footwear must be worn at all times)
- mobility aids such as a walking frame
- assistive devices such as dentures, glasses, hearing aids, walking frames
- personal toiletries such as soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, shaving kit and tissues
- items to help you sleep, such as an eye mask or earplugs
- familiar items such as photos
- a small amount of money to purchase items at the hospital or to hire a television at Fremantle Hospital.
Bring these personal items in a small bag that will fit into the limited storage space provided. A family member or friend will need to take away medium or large suitcases. More storage may be available if you are a long-term State Rehabilitation Service patient – please speak with the rehabilitation staff prior to admission.
Please do not bring jewellery, other valuables or excess cash. Our hospitals do not accept liability for the loss or damage of any property you bring to hospital when you are admitted or during your stay.
Please note your admission and surgery times are not managed on ‘first come, first served’ basis but are based on information we receive from your surgeon and the planned surgery lists. For this reason, we suggest you wear comfortable clothing and consider bringing a book to entertain if you are required to wait.
Clerical staff will confirm your details and ask some questions, including if you have recently been in hospital in or outside of Western Australia.
Fiona Stanley Hospital
Short term (10 minute) patient set-down and drop-off parking bays are located outside the main hospital entrance.
For planned surgery or endoscopy, please present to Day Surgery Unit/Day of Surgery Admissions (DOSA). This is located on Level 1 and can be accessed via the orange lifts.
For angiography, please present to please present to Day Surgery Unit/Day of Surgery Admissions (DOSA) between the blue and orange lifts.
For a day procedure, please go to Day Medical Procedures located on the ground floor concourse near the revolving door.
See the Fiona Stanley Hospital map (PDF 1MB)
Alternative admission pathways
Sometimes after hours or on weekends you may need to be admitted directly to the ward. If so, you will receive full instructions from either your treating team or the Capacity and Access team.
Fremantle Hospital
Patient set-down and drop-off parking bays are located directly outside the entrance.
For day surgery, please go to the Day Admissions Centre entrance, located on B Block on South Terrace, Fremantle.
If you are a surgical admission, please enter main entrance off Alma Street, B Block and speak to front receptionist.
See the Fremantle Hospital map (PDF 675KB).
Your identification band
For your safety and to confirm your identity, you will be given an identification (ID) band to wear at all times during your hospital stay. If you have any allergies your ID band will be red.
Your ID band will be checked multiple times during your stay. Although this may seem inconvenient and repetitive, it helps ensure we provide you with the correct care and treatment.
Parents of children going to theatre will be asked to wear an ID band for when they are called to be with their children after surgery.
Confirming your next-of-kin
Your next-of-kin is someone in a close personal relationship with you who has a personal interest in your welfare.
Each time you are admitted to hospital you will be asked to update contact details for your next-of-kin. Hospital staff will only provide details about your condition to your next-of-kin.
Medications
Please bring all your medications to hospital, including natural medicines and supplements. This allows your treating team and pharmacist to make sure the correct medicines are prepared for you. Please tell our staff about:
- new medicines
- medicines you recently stopped
- changes in how much or how often you use a medicine
- if you have had a bad reaction to a medicine in the past or do not understand why you are taking it
- what medications you have already taken before coming to hospital.
Reducing your risk of falls
During admission our staff will assess your risk of falling. They will also talk with you about how you can reduce this risk by following this advice.
- Don’t get up by yourself – press the nurse call bell and wait for assistance.
- Wear your prescribed glasses and make sure you can see clearly before trying to get up.
- When walking, always use your walking aid or the assistance of another person.
- Dizziness can be a side effect of some medications – don’t get up if you feel dizzy.
- Press the nurse call button if you need to go to the toilet and wait for the nurse to assist you to walk back.
- Don’t lean on furniture for support– call a nurse for assistance.
- Sit down instead of standing while you are in hospital.
- Wear appropriate non-slip footwear.
Read more about how to reduce your risk of falls using our Be SAFER tips (external site).
Preventing pressure injuries
Spending long periods of time in a bed or chair increases your risk of developing skin breaks or blisters known as pressure injuries, or bed sores.
Our staff will assess if you are at risk of developing a pressure injury (bed sore) while in hospital. If you are found to be at risk, your treating team may implement strategies to reduce this risk.
Read tips to reduce your risk of developing pressure injuries (external site).
Patient information booklets are available in each patient room.
Contact details
Please contact the following if you need more information about your admission.
Fiona Stanley Hospital patients
If you are calling about a planned surgical admission during business hours, please phone the Fiona Stanley Hospital Helpdesk on 6152 2222 and ask for Elective Waitlist.
If you are calling after hours or on a weekend, please phone the Fiona Stanley Hospital Helpdesk on 6152 2222 and ask for Capacity and Access.
Cockburn Health patients
Please phone Cockburn Health main reception on 6171 4800.
Fremantle Hospital patients
Please phone the Fremantle Hospital switchboard on 9431 3333 and ask for the Pre-Admission Clinic.
More information
Find out more about being a patient or return to For patients and visitors.