Hospital Visit

Help with your hospital stay

Patient: Hi, there. I’m John and I am here at home with my wife, Debbie.

Debbie: Nice to meet you! I am John’s recovery coach. I helped John through his hospitalization and his recovery journey.

Patient: I am getting back to normal after my hospitalization, playing with my grandkids, and getting back to doing things outside on my own. The hospitalization and the recovery journey were not easy and having a recovery coach to help me through it really made a difference. But before I get into all of that, I want to tell you about my journey.

Patient: My journey started in the emergency room. Debbie came with me that day because I had not been feeling well for a few days. I had been in some pain, was short of breath, and felt dizzy. I knew something was not right and could not get into to see my physician so Debbie took me to the emergency department. It was really busy there and they did a few tests in the emergency room and asked a lot of questions about how I was feeling. When the healthcare team said I was going to have to stay in the hospital a few days, I was surprised. Debbie was worried about me. I waited in the emergency room until there was a room ready for me to move into. I felt nervous and anxious about what was going to happen next.

Patient: The next thing I knew, I was in my hospital room. It was hard to tell how much time had passed since I arrived in the emergency department.

Debbie: As the healthcare team got John comfortable in his new room, I could tell he was in pain and confused about where he was. I mentioned this to the nurse. I was not sure what to do next to help John…(Pause)

Debbie: Then, I remembered the videos I watched on helping John while he was in the hospital. So, I started talking to John and reminded him of what had happened, the time and date, and where he was. I reminded him that he may feel some discomfort and to take some deep breaths to help distract his mind.

Patient: When Debbie started to talk to me, it really helped me remember what had happened and I felt safe. The nurse reassured me too and gave some pain medication to help get me through that intense period. Over the next few days, sometimes, I would feel confused or had a hard time focusing on one thing.

Debbie: When John told me he was having a hard time focusing, I remembered that the videos I watched talked about a thing called Delirium. And I remembered that to help John through his recovery, I should talk to him often, play games, look through pictures and recount stories of our life together to keep him focused.

Patient: After I recovered, Debbie told me about delirium and how she had helped me recover by reminding me of where I was, what I was doing, and kept my mind engaged with conversations. Now that I know about delirium, I want to give you a few tips to use on your recovery journey to avoid feeling that way. If you do start to feel confused, or have a hard time focusing while in the hospital, it is important to tell your family or healthcare team right away. Because of my experience, we created the Recovery Club, which you are part of, to help people recover from their hospitalization like champions.

Patient: One thing that bothered me when I in the hospital was the noise and stuff on my body. I had a blood pressure cuff on my arm, it checked my blood pressure every 15-30 minutes. I had a thing on my finger that measures the oxygen in my blood and wires on my chest that connected to a monitor. I also had a tube in my arm called an IV, giving me important fluids to help my recovery. Debbie and the nurse helped me understand what all of these things were for and as soon as I did not need them, the healthcare team removed them.

Patient: I know I already mentioned the discomfort that I experienced when I was in the hospital, and I want to talk about some strategies I used to work through that discomfort. First, the healthcare team helped make me comfortable and gave pain meds when I could have them. When I was not due for pain meds, Debbie reminded me of the distraction strategies that she had learned from the recovery videos. The two things that helped me the most were closing my eyes, breathing deeply, and picturing I was in a quiet place. I also helped my body relax by closing my eyes, and squeezing different muscles. Music helped too. Really anything that moves your attention away from that discomfort you are feeling is helpful. More information on those strategies are available to you as part of the recovery club.

Patient: Being active during your hospitalization really helped me recover. It was not easy, especially to get started, and I felt tired, weak, and uncomfortable. I made a goal to be active because I wanted to recover and get back to life with my grandkids. The first night in the hospital, I sat on the side of the bed. I felt dizzy and Debbie and the nurse were there to help me. The next day, I stood up and took a few steps. Sitting in the chair helped me clear the fogginess I felt. On the second day, I walked three times in the hall. Other friends that have been in the hospital were not able to move as much as I did and that is okay. Recovery is difficult. Just do the best you can.

Debbie: It was really hard for John to move around at first. The videos helped me to coach him on taking his time, breathing deeply, and distracting him with conversation.

Patient: Another piece that is important to talk about is sleep. Getting good sleep was tough in the hospital. The healthcare team checked on me a lot at first and the unit was noisy and bright. At bedtime, Debbie made sure I wore my eye mask and put in ear plugs, which helped a lot. I found having a cup of hot milk or tea right before bedtime helped too. Even though it may be tempting to sleep during the day, it is important to keep your normal schedule and be up and awake. Short naps are okay to help you gain back energy. If you are still having a hard time sleeping, tell your healthcare team. They may have other things that can help you.

Patient: I am happy to be at home and recovering from my hospitalization. My experience was not horrible but it would have been better if I had known what to expect my hospitalization to be like. That is why we created the Recovery Club and I sure hope it helps you recover like a champion during and after your hospitalization. You were smart to join this club!

Debbie: I was happy to be John’s coach through his recovery journey and watching the videos on how to help him was really good. Your recovery coach might be one of your family members, or it could be a friend or a neighbor too. Basically, anyone that is willing to be there for you while you are in the hospital can be your Recovery Coach.

Patient: Now, if you have questions about your hospitalization, your recovery, or the Recovery Club – be sure to write those down right after this video so you can make sure to get those answered by your healthcare team. We wish you the best!

Debbie: Bye for now!

Transcript

Managing Delirium in Hospital

It is important to know that delirium can cause some changes in behaviour.

More Information

While your family member, loved one or partner is in hospital you can encourage them to:

• Have a normal sleep pattern

• Stay awake during the day by opening the curtains to let sunlight in.

• Get out of bed and sit in a chair during the day wherever possible.

• Do daily tasks to take care of themselves, such as going to the bathroom.

• Do mental exercises, such as Sudoku or crossword puzzles.

• Eat and drink when possible and assist them.

• Have their glasses or contact lenses, hearing aids, or both in place.

• Ask their friends to visit, if they can.

• Use a calendar and a clock to remind them of the date and time of day.

• Try not to agree or disagree about any incorrect ideas – it may be real for them.

• Talk about current events or things inside or outside their room.

You can also support them by:

• Telling them where they are and why they’re in the hospital.

• Reminding them that they’re in a safe place, and their care team is there to take care of them.

• Reading them books or letters.

• Playing them music they like or calming music.

• Showing them family photos and bringing them familiar items from home, such as a favourite blanket or book

If you have any concerns about the person you are visiting, don’t hesitate to discuss with the nurse.

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