How to Visit Someone in Hospital

Tips on What to Do During Visiting Hour

Jan 25, 2009 Helen Brain

Many people feel awkward when visiting a hospital patient. This article gives hints for a successful visit.

Visiting the ill in hospital can be stressful for both patient and visitor. Follow these easy guidelines for making visiting hour a pleasure.

Gifts for Sick People

Gifts are always appreciated, but make sure they are small and easy to pack away in the bedside cupboard. Hand crèmes, puzzle books, latest magazines and newspapers and packaged snacks are welcome.

Flowers Can Cheer the Patient Up

If bringing a bouquet of flowers, be sure to bring a vase or jar as well. Fill it with water, as the nurses often don’t like to do this.

Before leaving, ask the patient if he would like you to water any other bouquets, particularly if the patient is bed ridden.

Listening to the Patient

Listening while the patient talks about her feelings can be very helpful for her. Sometimes patients need to vent anger, or to express sorrow, guilt, or anxiety about their future and the future of the people they love.

While most visitors think they need to try and fix problems, or reassure the patient that everything will be okay, this is not always the best thing to do. It empowers the patient to work out their own solution to their problems.

By listening empathetically a space is created where the patient can think her problems through and find her own solution.

Be Appreciative of the Hospital Staff

Nurses are often underpaid and overworked. Some patients are difficult and demanding, and leave the staff feeling harassed.

A kind word of thanks from visitors can soothe the nursing and cleaning staff and leave them feeling encouraged and appreciated. When this happens, the patients feel the difference. Saying a few words of thanks to staff benefits the person you are visiting.

Be Considerate of the Patient’s Emotional State

Patients look forward to visiting hour, but some visitors are exhausting, staying too long, talking about themselves too much, or becoming overly emotional and disruptive.

If you are close to the patient and you can see that he or she is feeling exhausted by another visitor, take the initiative and say, ‘You’re looking tired. I think we should go.’ You can always sneak back in once you’ve seen the disruptive visitor off the premises.

Alternatively you can say, ‘you’re looking very tired. Are we too noisy for you? Would you like us to go soon so you can get some sleep?’

Offer to Help

Many hospitalized patients worry about practical issues like watering their plants at home, checking the mailbox, and paying bills. They also often need underwear and pyjamas washed and brought back to the hospital.

Offering to do these simple chores and reporting back on how things are at home can ease the patient’s anxiety and help him get better faster.

By following these easy tips hospital visiting can become a pleasure for both patient and visitor. Scared of doing or saying the wrong thing to the patient? Read Things to Avoid when Visiting the Sick

The copyright of the article How to Visit Someone in Hospital in General Medicine is owned by Helen Brain. Permission to republish How to Visit Someone in Hospital in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Visiting the Sick in Hospital