You may need to stay in the hospital as part of your treatment. The Inpatient Care Centres are located in various areas throughout the hospitals of the University Health Network (UHN).

For accessibility assistance at UHN, call us a few days before your appointment. Learn more about accessibility assistance at UHN » ​​​

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Locations

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Building  
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
416 946 4545
  • Allogeneic Blood & Marrow Transplant Unit: 14B and 14C
  • Leukemia Unit: 14A and 15A
  • Autologous Stem Cell Transplant Unit: 15C
  • Malignant Hematology and Cellular Therapy Unit: 15B
  • Medical and Radiation Oncology Unit: 17A and 17B
  • Palliative Care Unit: 16P
  • Short-Term Care Unit: 18B

Maps & Directions to Princess Margaret »

Toronto General Hospital Building  
Toronto General Hospital
416 340 3131
  • Gynecologic Oncology Inpatient Unit: 6th floor, 6A West
  • Wharton Head & Neck Inpatient Unit: 6th floor, 6B West
  • Breast Restoration Program Inpatient Unit: 6th floor, 6B West
  • Melanoma & Skin Inpatient Unit: 6th floor, 6B West
  • Genitourinary Inpatient Unit: 6th floor, 6A West

Maps & Directions to Toronto General Hospital »

Toronto Western Hospital Building  
Toronto Western Hospital
416 603 5801
  • Neurology/Neurosurgery Inpatient Unit: 5th floor, 5B Fell

Maps & Directions to Toronto Western Hospital »

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What to Expect

In the Inpatient Care Centre a team of health care professionals will care for you. Learn more about how to prepare for your hospital stay at Princess Margaret [PDF, opens in new window] »


Eating and Drinking

You will be asked about your food allergies and dietary needs (if any) when you are admitted to the hospital. Examples of common food allergies are eggs, nuts and fish. This information is entered into the hospital's information system and will be considered when selecting your meals. It is important to note that UHN cannot guarantee that meals served at the hospital will be allergen free.

While UHN uses safe industry practices to prepare, handle and deliver your meals, UHN gets its food products from outside vendors. Most outside vendors have a statement that their products may contain traces of allergens.

If you are a patient, you can bring your own food to eat during your hospital stay. If you wish to bring your own food, please ask your health care provider for the booklet "Bringing Food From Home". This booklet explains how to bring food to the hospital and how to store it safely during your stay.

Learn more about bringing food from home [PDF, opens in new window] »

If you are recovering from surgery, you will have at least one intravenous line inserted into your arm. This line gives you fluids and medications until you are able to drink. You will start a liquid diet as soon as you start passing gas. You will be given solid food as soon as you are able to eat it. You may not be hungry at first, but your appetite will improve as you recover.

You may need a special diet or a feeding tube. If you do, your health care team will talk to you about this.

Learn more about how to care for a feeding tube [PDF, opens in new window] »

Monitoring Your Health

Your health care team will see you every day. They will tell you how you are doing and answer any questions you may have. If you want to speak with a member of your health care team, ask the nurse looking after you.

Your vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, breathing rate and pain score) will be checked often during your stay. You may have blood tests, ultrasounds, CT scans and other tests performed during your stay.

Medications

You will be given medications during your stay in hospital. You should know:

  • The name of the medication
  • Why you need it
  • How much to take
  • When to take it
  • Any side effects it may cause

If you want to know more about your medications, you can ask your pharmacist, doctor or nurse at any time.

Pain Management

You may experience some pain and discomfort while you are in the hospital. Our goal is to make sure that you have as little pain as possible.

Managing your pain can help your recovery. Pain management can:

  • Decrease the amount of stress on your body
  • Promote healing
  • Decrease complications
  • Prevent the development of chronic or long-term pain

To manage your pain, we need to know what you are feeling. You can describe your pain on a number scale, where “0” means “no pain” and “10” means “the worst pain you can imagine.” You can also describe your pain with words like:

  • Mild
  • Moderate
  • Severe
  • Sharp
  • Achy
  • Throbbing

These words can help us understand and treat your pain.

Handwashing

It is important to wash your hands well and often while you are in the hospital. Washing your hands will reduce the chances that you will become sick or get an infection.

It's okay to ask your doctor, nurse and other health care providers to wash or sanitize their hands using a gel hand rinse before examining you.

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What to Bring

For your stay in the hospital, make sure to bring:

  • Government-issued health card (OHIP card)
  • Health benefits card (if you have one)
  • Insurance information (if you have insurance)
  • All your medications in their original bottles as well as a complete list of medications you take, including prescription medications, non-prescription medications, supplements and herbal remedies. See also: What to bring to your appointment at UHN »
  • Toiletries (toothbrush, tissues, lip and skin moisturizer, etc.)
  • Loose, comfortable clothing
  • Socks and comfortable shoes with non-skid rubber soles, such as running shoes
  • Hearing aids, dentures and eyeglasses
  • Walking aids, such as canes or walkers, labelled with your name and phone number

If you need anything else, ask a friend or family member to bring the items to your room after you have been admitted.

You may want to bring:

  • A cell phone and/or tablet (iPad) and chargers. Rooms do not have phones or TVs.
  • A personal device for music or entertainment, and headphones or earplugs so you do not disturb other patients. Free UHN guest wi-fi is available throughout the hospital.
  • A small amount of cash for newspapers, coffee shop, etc.
  • Anything that will make your stay more comfortable, such as books or magazines

Please do not bring:

  • Valuables such as watches or jewellery
  • Many pieces of identification or credit cards
  • Large amounts of cash

We do not take responsibility for your money or valuables. If you choose to bring them into the hospital, you are doing so at your own risk. ​

health professional and patient wearing masks

Visitor Information

We encourage your friends and family to visit you while you are healing. We know that having loved ones nearby makes patients more comfortable and speeds up their recovery.

Patients staying in hospital also need rest, so some units have a daily rest period. We ask visitors not to come during those hours so that their loved ones can rest.

Find more visitor information » ​

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https://www.uhn.ca/PrincessMargaret/Education/Continuing_Education_Programs/Pages/continuing_education_programs.aspx
Last reviewed: 10/17/2023
Last modified: 10/18/2023 12:14 PM
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