6 Things You Can Do For Family Sitting At The Hospital

We have all been there. Our best friend’s husband is in the hospital. We all want to do something for them. So what can we do to help them? Something that is good and not bothersome right? There are at least 6 things you can do for family sitting at the hospital.

I say there are at least 6 because there will always be more, and you may even have some ideas to add to the list.

The Call

We have all been there right? You get the call that someones family member or friend has been in a terrible wreck. The patient is in ICU and will probably be there for many days if not weeks. Family has decided to set up camp in the waiting room. What should I do?

1. Don’t Rush Up There

Try to take care of somethings that can’t be handle in the hospital.

If they are parents, children may needed to be looked after. Taking someones children to and from school might be necessary. Picking a child up and taking them to their dance class or practice. Think about something that has to be taken care of right at that moment.

If they have pets, offer to go to their house and let them out. Pets are also a vital part of peoples lives, often just as important as children. Many times my patients have actually been more worried about their furry friends than themselves.

Don’t Go To The Waiting Room Looking For Entertainment

Do something else beside rushing up to the hospital. I know this seems like the right thing to do, but it’s not. The people gathering initially in an ICU waiting room need time to assimilate all of their thoughts. There is confusion, discussion and lots of questions. Generally the questions they have for Doctors and Nurses do not need to be heard by everyone.

Stress and anxiety can make it very difficult to hear what is being said and also make it very difficult for people to listen. They do not need your ears or your expertise. They do need to listen to the medical team for themselves and if any extra help for understanding is needed they will ask you.

Wait 24 or 48 hours before you go up there. Let them be free to go in and out of their family members room. Visiting you is not important right now.

You Want To Reduce Stress

It has been proven over and over again that when patients have family members near or by their side to see them they do better. So depending on the hours of the unit, the times family can go in and out of the rooms is critical.

The goal is for the patient to get better. Giving the family the ability to go in and out of the hospital room freely without having to entertain or take care of visitors is a must.

Unrestricted presence of a support person can improve communication, facilitate a better understanding of the patient, advance patient- and family-centered care, and enhance staff satisfaction.

http://ccn.aacnjournals.org

Giving the family the freedom to go in and out of the ICU rooms can help them and the patient. You want to be helpful not hindering.

2. Take Them A Cell Phone Charger and Something To Read

Most people do not carry a cell phone charger around with them. The long hours spent in the waiting room will take a toll on their phone battery. Also a lot of calls maybe made from the waiting room. A cell phone charger will be a blessing and will ensure they do not have to leave to get one.

The hours and moments spent in the waiting area can drag on forever. Magazines are not real meaty and can be looked at over and over again by several people. Puzzle books that are simple and uncomplicated are great distractions when you are sitting and waiting. Just something to take their mind off the situations for a little while.

3. Take Some Bottled Waters

The only thing available in most ICU waiting rooms is a soda machine. Soda machined often have waters in them, but at a high price. Go to a store and purchase a case of bottled waters. Take them to the ICU waiting room. They will be greatly appreciated.

Now some waiting areas do not allow food or drinks. Check with theirs before you go. Honestly, that is a pretty old school rule. Now most waiting rooms for people that are really sick do not care. Especially when families have been there for long extended periods of time.

4. A Goody Bag and Real Food

Get a grocery store non-disposable bag and fill it with some snacks. Try to get somethings that are non-perishable. Packages of crackers are good. Peanuts, or other types of trail mix are great.

An apple or two can be welcomed, as well as a box or two of raisins. A candy bar might be nice also, but try to put somethings in there that are not totally nutrition less.

My husband had a heart attack. When one of my friends came in with that bag of goodies I was thrilled. It was a variety of different things, but the apple was my favorite.

Real Food

If you are going to be arriving at a meal time, some real food will be greatly appreciated. Hospital or cafeteria food stinks after a few days. A meal outside of the hospital will be appreciated as well.

5. Tissues, Tylenol, or Other Necessities

Sometimes sitting in critical care units involves a lot of crying. Now let me tell you from experience, the toilet paper and tissues in most hospitals is like SANDPAPER. If you use that stuff to blow your nose one or two times…well let’s just say you may look a lot like Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.

A box of decent tissues will be much appreciated. Also if you have ever waited a long time in this type of place you may remember developing a whopper headache. Stress will do that sometimes. Now they usually have those tiny packs of headache medicine in the shops. The packs will have 2 pills in them at a high price. Most hospital gift shops will not be open at 2am either. Which is usually the time a headache will set in.

So a bag with tissues and some type of pain reliever will be much appreciated. You may even need to put some other types of medicines from the drugstore in the bag.

Some other small items maybe, chapstick, mints, gum, and pencils or paper. There really are more than 6 things you can do for family sitting in the hospital.

6. A Small Blanket Or Throw

This is such a good thing to have in those waiting rooms. The temperature control is crazy and never good. They can be freezing all the time. Even in the middle of the summer. The staff will love you as well because the linens in the hospital are for the patients not visitors. So having a little something to put on your legs can be so wonderful!

Not Just 6 Things You Can Do For Family Sitting At The Hospital

The end goal is to give the family the ability to see their sick member as much as possible. You probably can think of many more things to do when someone is sitting at the hospital.

Maybe going to the hospital is not your thing at all and guess what, that is okay. Everyone needs prayer, not just for the healing everyone hopes for but also for sustenance for the ones waiting for the healing.

Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. 

Psalms 107:19-20

If you do not know what to pray, that is okay too. God knows what each one of us needs. Just lifting up your voiced to the Holy One and asking for His help can make all the difference in the world for another human being.

So if you feel like you are sitting at home and doing nothing of real value that is not true. Pray and make a difference that way.

So to summarize the 6, even 7 things you can do for family sitting at the hospital: 

• Take a phone charger and something to read.
• Don’t rush up there right away.
• Bottled waters to drink would be nice.
• Some real food or snacks
• Tissues, Tylenol or other possible meds needed.
• A small blanket or throw.
• Pray

Doing any of these things can make a big difference in someones comfort while they are waiting in the hospital. Like I said there are more than 6 you can do for someone waiting in the hospital. Just do one or two and always take the time to pray. Honestly, Janet

If you have some more suggestions just add them in the comment section. I know there are more fantastic ideas.