The Positive Action Plan for Patients
Take an active role in your health.
Be a Positive Participant in your care. Make the commitment to partner with your physicians, nurses and caregivers in the healing process. Know about your treatment and medication plans after you leave the hospital. Working together with your caregivers while in the hospital, and for at least 30 days after you leave, is the best way to improve the quality of your health.
A recent report from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation called, “Care About Your Care” found more than 1 million Americans wind up back in the hospital only weeks after being discharged for reasons that could have been prevented. The most common cause for avoidable readmissions is that patients don’t understand their discharge instructions. Take personal responsibility for making sure you or someone you know completely understands what you need to do when you leave the hospital.
Be the positive core of your health care team. Strive to Thrive Today!
Listen and ask questions.
Make the most of your interactions with your care team. Allow your doctors and nurses to explain your diagnosis and treatment. Listen without interrupting and then summarize your understanding of what you heard. If you don’t comprehend something,
ask for clarification. If you need more information, schedule another meeting and prepare a list of questions you want answered. When it’s your turn to share, be as clear and concise as possible. If your doctor or nurse interrupts you, politely ask them to listen a little longer. Make good communication a priority.
Keep a medical notebook and personal journal.
Be prepared when consulting with your physicians and nurses. Use a bedside notebook to jot down medical questions and concerns. Take notes to remember important information and instructions. Use a personal journal to express your thoughts and feelings to help you through the stages of your physical and emotional recovery. If you can’t write, use a recorder.
Be your own advocate.
If you feel your safety is at risk, suspect an error or your medication is making you feel sick, speak up. To avoid infection, ask your care providers to wash their hands or put on gloves before treating you. When being transported or walking, take responsibility for making sure you don’t slip and fall. Don’t take risks. Wait for your caregivers to assist you.
Discuss health care directives.
Let your family and physicians know what actions and interventions should be taken on your behalf. Look into creating a Living Will and a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. Don’t procrastinate. Get this done before leaving the hospital.
Make your room One Positive Place.
Make your hospital room a place “For Positive People Only.” Be selective about the television you watch and newspapers and magazines you read. Shift your focus to positive stories that are motivating, healing and a source of inspiration. Ask someone to put up positive pictures and encouraging words where you can see them. Ask your family, friends and caretakers to stay positive in your presence.
Create Positive Relationships.
Be a creator not a critic. Establish good rapport with each member of your care-giving team, which includes everyone at the hospital as well as your family and friends. Working in health care today is an extremely challenging occupation and your caregivers are trying their best to create positive experiences for you. They could use some encouraging words from time to time. It can also be very stressful for your family and friends when they come to visit. Try to share some good news with them. It is in your best interest to create positive relationships with the people who enter your room. You have the power to bring out the best or worst in the people who care for you. Decide today that you are going to build better relationships with the people who are helping you. Caring for those who care for you will accelerate your healing process.
And when you are ready, be a positive influence on other patients. During World War II, a surprising discovery was made that can affect your recovery today. Because there were not enough nurses in post-operative care during the war, military patients were encouraged to help other military patients as soon as they started to recover. The result? Those patients did better and returned to duty faster.
Stephen Post, Ph.D., co-author of the book “Why Good Things Happen to Good People” said, “Since depression, anxiety, and stress involve a high degree of focus on the self, focusing on the needs of others literally helps shift our thinking. When you’re experiencing compassion, benevolence, and kindness, they push aside the negative emotions. One of the best ways to overcome stress is to do something to help someone else.”
During your stay in the hospital there is a good chance you are going to meet another patient or caregiver who needs an encouraging word or a smile. Everyone wins when you choose to be a positive influence on others. Give it a try. See if you feel better when you help someone else.
Ask for help.
If you’re in pain, need an extra blanket, help with meals or getting out of bed, ask for assistance. If it’s too loud at night, ask someone to shut your door, ask for earplugs or a headset to listen to something soothing.
Be positive and specific when making requests and don’t accept a vague response. “I’ll try” or “As soon as possible” can mean anything. You may interpret that answer to imply your nurse will be back in 5 minutes, but your nurse might have a different time frame in mind. You can help your caregivers help you by being clear on what you need and why you need it.
Seeking and accepting the support of others is a critical part of your healing process. Too many patients don’t ask for what they need because they don’t want to bother their caregivers. If that negative thought ever enters your mind, remember what we just said in Positive Action Number 7. People feel better when they help others. Do your caregivers a favor and let them assist you.
It’s also important for you to know that your hospital is a busy place and there are hundreds of patients in need of care. If you don’t get what you need in the time that it was promised, be pleasantly persistent when following up. Your caregivers will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Create inner peace.
Immerse yourself in activities you find relaxing. Read an uplifting book. Listen to calming music. Watch a favorite movie. Meditate. Reflect on the positive people in your life. Focus on feeling better. List all the things you are grateful for, identify your God-given talents and determine how you can use your strengths to serve others who are suffering.
Use humor to heal.
Learn to laugh at situations out of your control. Lighten the mood with caregivers and visitors. Tap into the benefits of laughter to give your mind and body a healthy boost. Find something to smile about. I know you don’t always feel like smiling when you’re in the hospital but, whenever possible, give someone a sincere smile. It will make both of you feel better.