Making Hospital Visits 1
Contents
Making Hospital Visits
Jim Hughes
DifficultSeasons.com
2009
1. Five Things About Visiting the Hospital for NonHospital People
2. Why Are You Going?
3. What’s Holding You Back?
4. Sometimes You Should Stay Home
5. When God Shows Up
6. Your Presence is What Matters
7. Don’t Tell Your Stories
8. Asking Permission, Giving Respect
9. How Long Should My Visit Be?
10. Follow the Patient’s Lead
11. Follow the Hospital Rules
12. Patient Privacy and Confidentiality Are Important
13. Don’t Give Advice
14. Don’t Make Promises
15. Basic Listening Skills
16. Listen Carefully to Stories
17. Praying With a Patient
18. Including the Family
19. People Sleeping in Chairs and Cars
20. Copyright Notice: How You May and May Not Use
This Material
Introduction
It would be hard to over-emphasize the importance of visiting people who are in the hospital. Whether you’re a relative, a friend, or visiting on behalf of a church or organization, your presence can be healing and reassuring.
Most of us are somewhat uncomfortable making hospital visits though. It’s a foreign environment, people are seriously ill, we’re not quite sure what we’ll find when we get there, and we’re afraid we won’t know what to say.
This e book will help you prepare and become more comfortable, and will also help increase your effectiveness in providing a presence that is healing and reassuring.
This material was originally published in my blog, http://difficultseasons.com, and has been collected in this e book to provide a ready reference. The material is protected by copyright. Please refer to the Copyright
Notice at the end of the book for how you can and cannot use this material without my permission.
I acknowledge and thank Dr. Virgil Fry and Dr. Paul
Riddle of Lifeline Chaplaincy, along with the patients I have visited at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, for what they have taught me about hospital visitation.
Blessings to you as you bless others by making visits!
1. Five Things About Visiting the
Making Hospital Visits
Jim Hughes
DifficultSeasons.com
2009
1. Five Things About Visiting the Hospital for NonHospital People
2. Why Are You Going?
3. What’s Holding You Back?
4. Sometimes You Should Stay Home
5. When God Shows Up
6. Your Presence is What Matters
7. Don’t Tell Your Stories
8. Asking Permission, Giving Respect
9. How Long Should My Visit Be?
10. Follow the Patient’s Lead
11. Follow the Hospital Rules
12. Patient Privacy and Confidentiality Are Important
13. Don’t Give Advice
14. Don’t Make Promises
15. Basic Listening Skills
16. Listen Carefully to Stories
17. Praying With a Patient
18. Including the Family
19. People Sleeping in Chairs and Cars
20. Copyright Notice: How You May and May Not Use
This Material
Introduction
It would be hard to over-emphasize the importance of visiting people who are in the hospital. Whether you’re a relative, a friend, or visiting on behalf of a church or organization, your presence can be healing and reassuring.
Most of us are somewhat uncomfortable making hospital visits though. It’s a foreign environment, people are seriously ill, we’re not quite sure what we’ll find when we get there, and we’re afraid we won’t know what to say.
This e book will help you prepare and become more comfortable, and will also help increase your effectiveness in providing a presence that is healing and reassuring.
This material was originally published in my blog, http://difficultseasons.com, and has been collected in this e book to provide a ready reference. The material is protected by copyright. Please refer to the Copyright
Notice at the end of the book for how you can and cannot use this material without my permission.
I acknowledge and thank Dr. Virgil Fry and Dr. Paul
Riddle of Lifeline Chaplaincy, along with the patients I have visited at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, for what they have taught me about hospital visitation.
Blessings to you as you bless others by making visits!
1. Five Things About Visiting the