HOW TO MANAGE YOUR HOSPITAL STAY
Your hospital stay will be a less stressful experience if you do some advance preparation and inform the hospital about your hearing loss. Communicating your needs and limitations, and the services you require, will ensure that you and the hospital are prepared.
Teach / show people who tend to you the correct way to insert battery into processor before any scheduled procedure; and how your headpiece attaches to internal magnet (see picture Below).
Your hospital stay will be a less stressful experience if you do some advance preparation and inform the hospital about your hearing loss. Communicating your needs and limitations, and the services you require, will ensure that you and the hospital are prepared.
How will hospital personnel be notified about your hearing loss?
All staff including nurses, doctors, anesthesiologists and recovery room staff should be aware that you have a hearing loss and how you communicate. You may have difficulty hearing when emerging from anesthesia. Hospital personnel may think you appear non-responsive or are not responding appropriately if they are not notified about your hearing loss Can a sign (or picture- see below) noting your hearing loss be posted above your bed?
All staff including nurses, doctors, anesthesiologists and recovery room staff should be aware that you have a hearing loss and how you communicate. You may have difficulty hearing when emerging from anesthesia. Hospital personnel may think you appear non-responsive or are not responding appropriately if they are not notified about your hearing loss Can a sign (or picture- see below) noting your hearing loss be posted above your bed?
MikeG
This is especially important at night when your hearing aid or CI is removed and the night staff may be unaware of your hearing loss. Some hospitals may be reluctant to offer this without your requesting it because of patient privacy rights. The benefits outweigh the privacy issues. Health care providers tend to speak before checking your chart so the sign is important even if your chart is noted with your hearing loss. Use the general symbol for people with hearing loss.
This symbol does not communicate what you need or how you communicate. It is, unfortunately, the only universal symbol that is available. Are the nurses aware that yo
u may not be able to hear over the intercom? Can the hospital place a sticker on the intercom at the nurse's station indicating that you are hard of hearing and use a cochlear implant?
This will alert the staff not to use the intercom if you are unable to hear it. The staff will need to come into your room rather than speak over the intercom so the hospital may want to place you in a room near the nurses' station.
Did you pack a pad and pen for your hospital room?
A pad and pen will allow you and the staff to write down critical information and medical terms to ensure you hear them properly. Can staff wear clear surgical masks or remove them when they speak with you?
Let everyone know prior to entering the operating room if you rely on lip reading and therefore need to see people's faces. Wearing clear surgical masks or removing them when they speak with you allows you to see their lips.
This symbol does not communicate what you need or how you communicate. It is, unfortunately, the only universal symbol that is available. Are the nurses aware that yo
u may not be able to hear over the intercom? Can the hospital place a sticker on the intercom at the nurse's station indicating that you are hard of hearing and use a cochlear implant?This will alert the staff not to use the intercom if you are unable to hear it. The staff will need to come into your room rather than speak over the intercom so the hospital may want to place you in a room near the nurses' station.
Did you pack a pad and pen for your hospital room?
A pad and pen will allow you and the staff to write down critical information and medical terms to ensure you hear them properly. Can staff wear clear surgical masks or remove them when they speak with you?
Let everyone know prior to entering the operating room if you rely on lip reading and therefore need to see people's faces. Wearing clear surgical masks or removing them when they speak with you allows you to see their lips.
Did you bring your batteries, storage device, charger?
Bring all of your rechargeable batteries with you for your planned stay in the hospital. And don’t forget your charger. Inform staff about the charging procedure. If an emergency sends you to the hospital, does anyone know where you keep your charger at home, will they bring it (and any spare batteries) to you? And don’t forget to bring some sort of storage kit to place your device into
Bring all of your rechargeable batteries with you for your planned stay in the hospital. And don’t forget your charger. Inform staff about the charging procedure. If an emergency sends you to the hospital, does anyone know where you keep your charger at home, will they bring it (and any spare batteries) to you? And don’t forget to bring some sort of storage kit to place your device into
What visual alerts does the hospital offer for emergencies & to alert you if one is at the door? Do you have access to a TTY or CapTel? Is your TV captions on?
There are a variety of devices that can alert individuals with hearing loss to emergencies, to the phone ringing and/or to someone knocking at the door. Find out what the hospital has available and what is recommended based on your procedure.
There are a variety of devices that can alert individuals with hearing loss to emergencies, to the phone ringing and/or to someone knocking at the door. Find out what the hospital has available and what is recommended based on your procedure.
What about inserting battery into processor? or how to charge your batteries?
Teach / show people who tend to you the correct way to insert battery into processor before any scheduled procedure; and how your headpiece attaches to internal magnet (see picture Below).
Scheduled for an MRI?
Beware of warnings about MRIs. Make sure your surgeon and/or hospital staff know that you have an internal magnet, and discuss what the options may be.
Any other advise for CI / HA users in hospital?
Some suggestions I've come up with:
1. Make sure hospital personal face you when conversing
2. Have nurses and orderlies close enough to you to make lip reading easier, and make sure they do not stand in front of window where you may need to"squint" to see
3. Please keep "chit-chat" to a minimum (I'll have enough trouble just keeping up with what's important for my care)
4. I may need help installing battery, placing CI/HA in correct position, and in storing unit when I am resting or sleeping
5. Keep background sound to a minumum / and a small light on in room at all times so I can see if I need to
6. ANY finally; what other advice does anyone have to add to this list?
This is super, Mike. Welcome to the blogger world. Now your expertise and years of experience can be shared globally. I have added you to my Google blog updates, so I expect to read more great stiff from you, my friend.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Sheila Adams