Recently I spoke to a friend whose husband was in the hospital for heart surgery. My friend mentioned that she received a thoughtful "goodie bag" from another friend. My friend stayed all night in the waiting room. She related the discomforts she experienced. Due to her other friend's foresight, the "goodie bag" contents lessened some of the problems the all-nighters caused. Here are some of the items she received. You may need other items depending on your situation.

- Individual coffee or tea bags, favorite drink or bottled water
- Tooth brush, paste, floss and wet wipes
- Gum, mints
- Fresh fruit, crackers, candy bars
- Chapstick, hand cream
- Pen and tablet of paper
- Magazine or newspaper
- Small throw cover, pillow

If you visit the patient or the family, you can ask if you can help with specific needs such as homemade food, phone calls to update others, errands, or help with pets.

When you visit a patient in the hospital room, here are some additional suggestions.

- Knock before entering
- Ask if this is a good time to visit
- Do not stand or sit with a bright window behind you ( It makes a silhouette.)
- Stay no longer than 15 minutes
- Ask whether the church knows the situation; call the church office if there is any uncertainty

If one close to you is in the hospital for an extended period of time, some recommendations to make your life easier and the patient's stay tolerable include:

- Casually brief the nurses going off duty and on duty
- Display pictures of your loved one when he/she was healthy
- Personally deliver a care package to the night shift (They rarely get anything delivered to the other shifts.)
- Bring a distinctive pillow to save yourself a place
- If permitted, take the person out in a wheelchair for a change of scenery
- Regularly update your home voicemail with the current condition

Since hospitals are not fun places to stay, these suggestions may make the confinement a better experience for both the patient and you.

In His Service,
Nicki Reynolds, RN