When you think of a hospital room, you probably picture something that looks a little like a typical bedroom. There’s a bed, a desk or chair, and probably a window, too. In fact, most hospital rooms are set up to look like bedrooms because patients need the comfort of familiar things around them to feel a bit more at home while they’re recovering.
But despite all of the efforts to make hospitals seem more homey, they still can be uncomfortable places to be. The truth is that the hospital environment itself can make some people feel stressed and anxious, which in turn can slow down their recovery. So here are a few things that hospital staff can do to help their patients get the best results from their stay in the hospital.
1. Give the Patients More Control
It’s no secret that patients often feel frustrated and powerless while they’re in the hospital. This can be due to many factors, including not being able to do their normal daily activities, being away from work and their loved ones, and having no choice but to trust their medical team to care for them.
One way to give patients more control is by giving them technology in their rooms that allows them to order meals on their own, adjust the temperature of the room, activate white noise or relaxation audio and much more. This can free up the time that healthcare professionals would normally spend doing non-medical tasks, which in turn helps them give their patients better treatment and more compassionate care.
2. Clearly Label Each Room
Some patients have to share a room with other patients. This can be hard, especially if the other patient has a condition such as dementia or is an older adult who is used to sleeping alone and doesn’t like the idea of being in a room with strangers. If this is the case, putting curtains up between rooms can provide some privacy but it does nothing to block out sound or prevent a patient from accidentally bumping into their roommate in the middle of the night.
3. Have Nurses Check In Frequently
When a patient is in the hospital, they can’t really go anywhere or do anything to take care of themselves so they rely on their healthcare providers for most needs. The problem is that they can start to feel neglected if the nurses don’t come into their rooms as regularly as they should. By making sure that nurses have a regular schedule for checking on their patients, it can alleviate this concern and help them recover faster.
4. Eliminate Clutter
It’s no secret that clutter can make a room feel dirty, even if it is clean. Unfortunately, the hospital environment is littered with trash and other messes that can easily pile up around a patient’s bedside. This can be frustrating for both the nurses and the patients. So what can be done to eliminate the clutter and promote a more calming atmosphere?