Category: Health and Wellness
I have been asked to speak about the needs of a blind/visually impaired patients at a local hospital. I'll be speaking to
the staff at this hospital , the nurses, and other floor staff on the
needs of the blind/visually impaired patients. Needs such as speaking
when entering a room, having a sign up that declares that this person is
blind, making sure that their chart is plainly marked indicating that
this person is blind. Just how to deal with a blind person. Mostly
common sense things to you and I, but if you're never around a blind
person, you just really don't know. This hospital is really on the
ball. They are requesting in services from all types of disabled
people. They have purchased things for the deaf, like the t t y phones
and the portable pocket talkers. I was very proud to be asked to do
this. I am trying to cover what I think are important things. The best
way to do this is to get help from others, that's where y'all come in.
Please tell me what you think.
Carla/TexasRed
I cant believe no one else has bothered to reply to this ..wait a minute I can..Texas I applaud you for getting involved with this, if only more disabled people would get off their backsides.. Ok eh sign language--deaf blind sign language--where possible availability of braille large print or audio--good descriptions of what will happen during an examination ect--guiding lessons, as nurses are apt to take your arm to support you after surgery ect,they need to learn to let the patient have more control and choice..listening to a patient with cerebral palsy or a stroke patient, who may have a speech problem or communicate via computer,when talking with someone who does it's vital that you look at them and not at the machine...learning how to lift and assist someone with cp--asking them how much assistance they need to give them control over their care..patience and a calm approach towards a person with learning difficulties or autisim, and acccepting that their extreme behaviour is possibly due to fear...I think a good level of consideration and common sense, would go a long way to improving a hospital stay for disabled patients.
I've been in the hospital a few times recently. The points already mentioned are good. Some others would be tomake sure the blind patient knows where the call button is at all times. Also make sure the patient can easily reach bedside phone. The dietary assistants who bring in the meal trays should ask the patient if he/she needs any help and maybe say what the meal consists of. I always ordered meals a day ahead of time because that's the way the hospitals here do things. They bring the menu for the next day in before lunch and you order for the following day. So it is easy to forget what you have ordered and a reminder of what is on the tray would be useful.
One of my pet peeves about being in the hospital is being treated like a complete invalid. If your only disability is visualimpairment and you are not in the hospital for a condition that makes it necessary for you to stay in bed at all times, then the nursing staff should not insist on not letting you get out of bed. I prefer, for example, to be allowed to get up and go to the bathroom by myself, but they always insist that I call for help. Some of the hospital staff are willing to let the patient dictate how much help they need or don't need, but others are very persistent in not letting the patient do anything for themsevles. They should be encouraged to ask the patients what kinds of things they need help with.
Back in 1995 I had a dear Friend, a lady who was late in her 80's in age and had been blind since the age of two years. For that summer she was constantly hospitalized repeatly and I remained by her bedside...always making sure any procedure was first throughly explained to her as well as any medical treatments. Not that a nurse/medical personnal could simly enter and proceed..first there was explanation.
The last time I was in the hospital for a surgery I had something happened that has made me quite werry of needles. Nurse, "You feeling any pain". Me, "A little, but...". Nurse yanks back the covers; I was totally nood beneath, and proceeds to give me a shot in my backside with no explanation, warning or anything like that. I think that is the major thing with dealing with the blind; always! explain what your going to do, before, you do it. Where as a sighted person can see, usually, what is going on, a blind person can't. And my husband says the bit about being treated like a complete invalid isn't just with the blind, but with anyone who is in the hospital.
Eeek! Witchcraft I agree however, the problem lies in the pressure that nurses are under, often they do not have the time to accurately explain everything..nevertheless this issue needs to be addressed and soon. I do know that some Doctors ect, are not happy when faced with a condition and/or disability they cannot cure.
thanks for all the feedback, I've copied your notes.
thanks,
Carla
No problem I just wish british hospitals would wisen up..
Yeah. I have to echo the point about nurses having at least some basic guide training. That would be quite helpful.
Didn’t find being in hospital too bad - but when I was discharged - my drugs and their packaging, my dosage instructions, and my medical information leaflets, etc, etc, were in small print and totally inaccessible to me. Family helped out - but what if I had been on my own?