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Hospital Waiting Room Survival Guide
by Kathleen Ganster
In September of 2003, we found out that my father had cancer. Two months later, we found out that my brother had a brain tumor. The ensuing months meant numerous hospital visits, tests and operations. Those of you who have been there know how stressful it can be sitting in hospital waiting rooms. A year and ten hospital waiting room stints later, I feel like I am an expert. But I didn’t start out that way.
The first time, I thought I was ready for the day. Little did I know! A huge, huge reader, I found couldn’t concentrate on the book that I had brought. I had forgotten that cell phones were banned and had to go outside in the blustery cold to make phone calls. Not only that, I forgot to call my aunt back to update her on my brother’s status because I was so spacey from stress. And though I was starving, I was afraid to leave the waiting room because it was the estimated time that the doctor would be calling the waiting room for my family.
There were many things I had wished I had known prior to those visits. As I talked to others in the same situation, including medical personnel and staff, I realized I wasn’t alone. After talking with various other “experts” here are some tips and survival skills for the hospital waiting room.
· Take something to do. As I said, I took a book and found it useless. My mother, on the other hand, found a book was just the thing. Kathy Fitzgerald of the North Hills worded it perfectly when she said, “Take busy work that doesn’t require a lot of thought. It is often hard to concentrate.” Take whatever helps you pass the time. Fortunately, I had also taken knitting and was able to get quite a bit accomplished in my anxious state. Others had their own hand craft projects, playing cards, magazines and newspapers. If you are there during the holiday busy season, write your Christmas cards.
· Dress comfortably – My friend Angela Panos is a nurse and recommends, “Dress comfortably, but professionally, and have a sweater or jacket to keep you warm.” You are going to be in the waiting room for a couple of hours and will want to be relaxed as possible. Along those lines, Pat Folk, another nurse said, “Take slippers if you want especially if it going to be a long day. And if you are on medications, don’t forget to bring YOUR medications.” She also suggested, “Make sure you have your glasses. If you wear contacts, bring your supplies and a pair of glasses. It is a long day and the hospital air is very drying. Even eye drops are very refreshing when you are spending a long day at the hospital.”
· Leave children at home. This advice was repeated to me several times. If at all possible, find a sitter, friend or daycare for children. It is stressful enough for adults to be in a waiting room situation, let alone children. Plus children running around or tired and cranky will be stressful for others waiting.
· Take snacks. There are snack machines and the cafeteria of course, and they are good for larger meals but you may find yourself hungry just when the doctor is due back. And make sure your snacks are healthy snacks. The last thing you need to be doing under stress is pumping your system full of sugar and caffeine. I find the endless coffee supply in most of the waiting rooms draws me in so I take some bottled water to prevent me from downing gallons of coffee.
· Phone calls – Many hospitals are off limits to cell phones. Take a phone card or lots of change for pay phones. Also take a list of phone numbers and who you need to contact. Stress can make you forget everything.
· Other things to take – a portable CD player (with a headset). One incredible annoyance for me is the constant T.V. shows piped into hospital waiting rooms. (Although a friend told me he likes the distraction.) Another friend always takes a personal CD player to block them out. Money and change – for snack machines, phone calls, to buy a paper, whatever. Don’t forget to have money for parking. Folk says, “Hospital lots do not usually take credit cards. Ask if they validate parking on the day of surgery.” Note pad and pen to write things down. Other items like tissues, antibacterial hand clothes (hospitals are hotbeds of germs), and if you find comfort, a Bible or Rosary beads. The patients aren’t the only ones who should pack a bag.
· Prepare in advance – If you are accompanying the patient, he may have to take items with him. Said Folk, “The patient may be requested to take X-rays, insurance cards, medications – make sure you have everything in advance.”
· Information – Designate a family member as the contact person and spokesperson for the family. Panos said, “With each phone call, you are taking the nurse’s or doctor’s time away from the patient and it is difficult to share information over the phone due to all of the rules and regulations” Also, know and understand the procedure prior to surgery. Jennifer Lis, a receptionist at an outpatient surgery room said, “We often wish family members were better informed of the procedures and expectations.”
· Time – Hospital waiting rooms have a weird way of distorting time. Lis said, “Prior to surgery, ask a nurse how long the surgery will take. A doctor often thinks he is relieving anxiety by underestimating the time.” Also remember they give you surgery time, not the time it takes to prepare the patient, recovery time, etc. so the actual time will be much longer.
And as difficult as this is to talk about, know what to do in case of an emergency. Folk said, “If the issue has not been addressed a prior time, the family and the person undergoing surgery should be clear on what the patient’s wishes are regarding extraordinary measures, life support, organ donation, etc.”
Kathleen Ganster may be reached at ganster@connecttime.net.
