Insider Tips for Getting the Most Out of a Hospital Stay
Posted: Saturday, July 31, 2010
by Ken McCreless
RMS1437
Greetings Fellow Travelers
Sooner or later it's bound to happen- you or a loved one winds up hospitalized. I can tell you, as one who has been on "the other side," that there are things you can do to get the most out of your hospitalization. Because, unless you're dripping with cash, and maybe even if you are, you can be leaving the hospital with more questions and problems than you had when you went in.
Have a close friend or relative stay with you at all times
This is the number one thing to do to assure that you, the patient, are treated well.
A patient with someone there with them will receive much more attention from a likely grossly under-staffed facility. There are so many hoops that nurses, respiratory therapists and others have to jump through that it would boggle the mind of the average citizen. Each hospital, I'm convinced, has a tiny, wretched little man stuck in a windowless office deep in the bowels of the building whose only job is to create rules.
Think of it like this; You are given an assignment with the explicit rule that you cannot take steps greater that 2 inches in length, and no more than 12 steps in any one hour period. As you are looking over your workload you can't help but notice that you have 6 patients spread out over a length of a hallway 100 feet long. Each one has 2 modalities ordered for every 2 hour period which numerically equals the average population of Alaskans who have stayed in a motel room with a painting of a one-legged duck in the bathroom.
Sure, laugh now! But, I tell you, the rules that health care workers are strapped with are not that much removed from the above scenario, believe me. If those who made the rules had to abide by them, the health care industry would improve by a hundredfold overnight.
Have your friend or loved one keep a notepad and pen handy.
Tell them that no matter what they need to pick them up and write when anyone comes into the room. It doesn't matter what they write. Staff will likely slow down, and might even seem a bit upset, seeing someone "taking notes." A good nurse or RT will not mind. A staff member who gets really nervous or angry should cause red flags to fly instantly.
Make a list of questions for the doctor before he/she comes in to see you
That could be something that your assistant writes down, actually. Then, when your doctor does come into the room, and if you cannot do it yourself, have them position themselves so that your doc is unable to leave the room until your questions are answered, each one. This may mean an actual door-blocking operation, but it needs to be done. Doctors are extremely busy. Still, they need to be reminded that you are a human being with questions and the right to have them answered. A scant few will do this anyway, without being stopped by the pedestrian equivalent of a police P.I.T. maneuver.
Bring several items from home that will put you at ease
This might be a pillow, blanket, or, in my case, books and video games. It's getting more and more likely that the TV in your room will be a rental return reject with no color and pitiful sound. I would even recommend bringing favorite paper products of every type- anything that will make you feel better. However, if snuggling up with a boa constrictor or an Uzi brings your blood pressure down you're just out of luck.
Study up on all your medical issues- medication, illness and procedures
Then, if you see something that seems wrong, or wonder if you, or the patient you're sitting with, are getting the right medication or dose, politely speak to the nurse, or the charge nurse if necessary. Make sure that it is politely, because these folks are horribly overworked and the overwhelming majority give it everything they have to do what it takes to give proper treatment and beyond.
These suggestions will go a long way to make your hospital stay a successful one. Keep in mind that it is a hospital and not a Hilton, that the staff are trained medical professionals and not evil-doers out to destroy you. Still, be ready to assert your rights, and to take it to whatever level needed to resolve the issue.
Sooner or later it's bound to happen- you or a loved one winds up hospitalized. I can tell you, as one who has been on "the other side," that there are things you can do to get the most out of your hospitalization. Because, unless you're dripping with cash, and maybe even if you are, you can be leaving the hospital with more questions and problems than you had when you went in.
This is the number one thing to do to assure that you, the patient, are treated well.
A patient with someone there with them will receive much more attention from a likely grossly under-staffed facility. There are so many hoops that nurses, respiratory therapists and others have to jump through that it would boggle the mind of the average citizen. Each hospital, I'm convinced, has a tiny, wretched little man stuck in a windowless office deep in the bowels of the building whose only job is to create rules.
Think of it like this; You are given an assignment with the explicit rule that you cannot take steps greater that 2 inches in length, and no more than 12 steps in any one hour period. As you are looking over your workload you can't help but notice that you have 6 patients spread out over a length of a hallway 100 feet long. Each one has 2 modalities ordered for every 2 hour period which numerically equals the average population of Alaskans who have stayed in a motel room with a painting of a one-legged duck in the bathroom.
Sure, laugh now! But, I tell you, the rules that health care workers are strapped with are not that much removed from the above scenario, believe me. If those who made the rules had to abide by them, the health care industry would improve by a hundredfold overnight.
Have your friend or loved one keep a notepad and pen handy.
Tell them that no matter what they need to pick them up and write when anyone comes into the room. It doesn't matter what they write. Staff will likely slow down, and might even seem a bit upset, seeing someone "taking notes." A good nurse or RT will not mind. A staff member who gets really nervous or angry should cause red flags to fly instantly.
Make a list of questions for the doctor before he/she comes in to see you
That could be something that your assistant writes down, actually. Then, when your doctor does come into the room, and if you cannot do it yourself, have them position themselves so that your doc is unable to leave the room until your questions are answered, each one. This may mean an actual door-blocking operation, but it needs to be done. Doctors are extremely busy. Still, they need to be reminded that you are a human being with questions and the right to have them answered. A scant few will do this anyway, without being stopped by the pedestrian equivalent of a police P.I.T. maneuver.
Bring several items from home that will put you at ease
This might be a pillow, blanket, or, in my case, books and video games. It's getting more and more likely that the TV in your room will be a rental return reject with no color and pitiful sound. I would even recommend bringing favorite paper products of every type- anything that will make you feel better. However, if snuggling up with a boa constrictor or an Uzi brings your blood pressure down you're just out of luck.
Study up on all your medical issues- medication, illness and procedures
Then, if you see something that seems wrong, or wonder if you, or the patient you're sitting with, are getting the right medication or dose, politely speak to the nurse, or the charge nurse if necessary. Make sure that it is politely, because these folks are horribly overworked and the overwhelming majority give it everything they have to do what it takes to give proper treatment and beyond.
These suggestions will go a long way to make your hospital stay a successful one. Keep in mind that it is a hospital and not a Hilton, that the staff are trained medical professionals and not evil-doers out to destroy you. Still, be ready to assert your rights, and to take it to whatever level needed to resolve the issue.
Ken McCreless is just a guy who loves to write, and was born to do so. He is a freelance writer with several projects ongoing, including books and magazines. A huge fan of both irony and history, Ken has dedicated his life and his writing to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Top-level comments on this article: (9 total)Great. I have gone through a few hospital stays with family members, and learned most of this the hard way. A major point is the one you made about medications. The last time my wife was in the hospital they were giving her a generic medication in place of a brand name drug. The generic drug did not work for her. Even though I had documentation from her physician I went several rounds with the hospital staff and administrators before I convinced them that she needed the brand name drug. Unfortunately, during her hospital stay her physician was on vacation and his office was closed, and his stand in was not famaliar with my wife's case..I'm sorry to hear about your wife's experience, which, unfortunately, is not at all isolated. A big part of the problem is the "rules" I mentioned in my piece. Sometimes the hoops that a doctor has to jump through make it near impossible for their orders and preferences to be carried out. If the attending on call is a real jerk, staff may not be allowed to even comply with a patient's doctor's wishes.Kudos to you for sticking to your guns to the end! Most would not.
It is easy to forget the kind of pressure hospital staff are often under, and I think it's hard sometimes for them to remember that their patients are human! I enjoyed your article, which is sane and practical.You are so right, Jennifer. However, since it is more likely for a health care worker to become a patient than the other way around, I wrote this article from the HCW perspective. But, you can bet that a nurse or RT that treats their patients badly will be the HARDEST patients!Thanks for stopping by!
Bravo, Ken! All excellent suggestions. You're absolutely correct on all counts. Been there. Done that. Thanks for the piece.Thank you, my Most Beloved and Wacky friend! I very much appreciate you!
Totally scary any more isn't it? And I can remember back to the time when we could actually give a patient a back rub to help them relax the evening before surgery.....man!Wow, those were the days!Many moons ago, when I was a smoker and MUCH younger, I cut my hand so badly I needed surgery to repair a nerve and spent the night in the hospital. I remember my nurse not only bringing me an ash tray but also lighting my cigarette!!
KenHaving been a patient more times than I can count, the suggestions you make here are very true. My last hospital stay was for weeks not days and I can assure you that having things from home, having a steno pad with questions my husband and I had and having the internet to do my own research were invaluable. I did not have someone with me all the time unfortunately but I know when my children have been in the hospital it meant the difference in both quality and quantity of care they received.mwahCarlaThank you so much,. Carla, for reading and responding.As long as the staff knows that someone besides the patient is keeping tabs it will make a HUGE difference.
I have come to the conclusion that you must be actively involved in your treatment with a doctor. It took me decades to realize this but without it, your medical treatment suffers, sometimes to a deadly level. Thanks for the hospital advice, it is enlightening for me. I like that guy who sits in that room and does nothing but make rules--funny.Thanks,SteveThat is indeed an epiphany we all need to have. Health Care cannot function the way a burger place, or a theme park, does, which is just what so many stuffed shirt talking heads want.Thank you, Steve.
Yep i have been there, its a real pity society has reduced its self to profitable hospitals, why do we pay so much tax, where does it all go.That is an excellent question, Tony. Unfortunately, the answer is it goes to make the rich richer. Or, to re-coat the CEO's parking space, or replace the year old furniture in the Administration breakroom.
Thanks for stopping by!
Asking the doctor questions is the best advice. Too many people rely on these professionals to do the right thing, and most do, yet questioning the doc is in the patient's best interest. Great advice here, sir.So true, Michael. The irony is, even though they are so busy, most doctors LOVE to teach! These folks get excited about sharing what they know.Thanks for stopping by!
All great suggestions Ken. I hope I am not in need of it in the very near future. Thanks for sharing this with us.I hope you never need any of any hospital services, (except for bring grand babies into the world!). I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment!
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