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When people visit you in the Hospital
During your hospital stay, you can expect many people to walk in
and out of your room–physicians, nurses, technicians, food service aides, and
other hospital employees, and of course visitors. The friends and family who
come to see you can be a great source of comfort. But they can also be
disruptive and may insist on talking to you when you’re tired, uncomfortable, or
just not in the mood for guests. Here are some coping strategies:
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Urge people to call before visiting so you can tell them what
time would be convenient or that you’re not feeling up to having company Don’t feel obligated to see everyone who wants to visit. |
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Don’t feel that you have to respond to prying questions.
Give vague answers, such as “They’re working on that”, or “They’re waiting for
test results.” If pressed, say “I’d rather not talk about that.” Then bring up
another subject. |
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Encourage visitors to talk about themselves. That takes the
focus off topics you’d rather not discuss. |
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Be aware that according to the Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act of 1996, your family and friends have no right to
medical information about you without your authorization, and the staff should
not be expected to give them any such information. |
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Ask people who have a cold or any other communicable illness
to stay away. |
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Don’t argue with visitors who think they have all the
answers about the best way to treat your illness. |
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If you want to limit your visits to, for example, close
relatives, ask a nurse to post a sign saying, “Immediate family only.” Or you
can request a sign that reads, “No visitors. Inquire at the nurses desk.” |
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Don’t hesitate to tell visitors that the visit is over. A
remark such as “I need to rest now” should suffice. |
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