Ironically, exactly one week after writing about emergency and trauma care, I found myself in the ER unit, witnessing firsthand what goes on there. My husband had a serious skydiving accident Thanksgiving weekend. Broken pelvis. As a result, I am now a regular hospital visitor. And as such, I have become particularly cognizant of hospital etiquette.Here's what I've learned:
As is often the case, what might be considered "common" sense is actually not really common at all. For example, not-to-be-missed, bold, in-your-face signs instruct visitors to STOP and use the hand sanitizer provided before entering and leaving a hospital ward. This is to help curb the spread of germs. I watched people blitz past the signs with great regularity. Alas, I confess, I too was guilty during my first visit. Oops! Not quite sure how I could have missed the signs. Guess I had too much on my mind. But honestly, I've tried to remember every time since Be positive during the visit. Shrieking "Oh my gawd!" when you see someone's injuries does nothing to lift their spirits. To the contrary. (Use your inside voice for those comments.
This is the perfect time to bring out the Pollyanna in you. Focus on the good news, such as how well their surgery went. And while the patient and his roomie might enjoy comparing notes about their medical conditions, resist the temptation to talk about your past illnesses or operations. It's neither the time nor the place for that. Focus on happy talk. The whole point of visiting patients in the hospital is to cheer them up.
Be polite. If either the doctor, nurse or physio therapist has to do something -- whether it's a consultation or treatment -- leave the room while they are attending the patient. Don't wait to be asked.Keep your visits short. Stay only a few minutes. Remember, the point of your visit is to wish the patient well. And while visits from family and friends are appreciated, they can be very tiring for the patient. So don't stay too long. Focus on the quality of the visit, not the quantity.
Don't wear perfume. And don't have a quick smoke right before heading into a patient's room. The patient could be sensitive to either. Heck, perfume and the lingering smell of cigarette smoke can make even healthy people gag. If there aren't enough chairs, just stand during your visit. You're only going to be there a short time. Don't sit on the bed; it cramps the patient, and you could inadvertently cause them pain or discomfort.If you're taking flowers, make sure the patient isn't allergic to them. And don't take fragrant blooms. Also, if the flowers aren't already in a vase, take one along. Don't assume the hospital has one you can use. And be sure the flowers have enough water. Nurses don't have time to do that.
Be considerate of anybody who is sharing the patient's room. That means keeping noise down. And if you're visiting with children, make sure they behave. If you can't control them, it may be better to leave them at home. If you're not feeling well, stay away. Don't jeopardize the patient's health by visiting. Coming in contact with someone suffering from a contagious diseases can slow down the recovery of a patient recuperating from surgery, for example. You want to share best wishes for a speedy recovery -- not a cold or the flu! So consider a phone call instead, or reschedule your visit.
When it comes to waiting rooms, remember they're there to be shared. So be courteous. And clean up after yourself.Respect the hospital's established visiting hours. In the ward I now regularly visit at the Regina General Hospital, for example, that's 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.Respect patient privacy. If you're in an ER with a white board listing patients being treated, resist the temptation to read it -- or you may suffer the wrath of ER staff determined to protect the privacy of those in their care. (I confess, I was guilty. The all-caps PARACHUTE note caught my eye in the Moose Jaw ER. Couldn't help myself. Sorry folks!)
Be aware that conversations in the hall can be overheard. As well, you never know who's on the other side of the curtain. So keep that in mind. Different wards have different rules. For example, the rules are different in the intensive care unit than in the labour and delivery ward.When it comes to using cellphones, check at the nurse's station before using one. Again, different wards have different rules.If you keep these pointers in mind, your visit with a hospital patient should be happier.More at LEADERPOST.COMCheck out Lifestyle Editor Irene Seiberling's Anything & Everything blog on our Web site.