Associate pastor
Hunter Street Baptist Church, Hoover
Hospital visitation presents a tremendous opportunity to encourage people with the hope of the gospel. Here are a few suggestions:
Do:
- Pray for the patient before the visit and pray the Holy Spirit will direct your visit.
- Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer immediately before and after you visit.
- Silence your phone before entering the room.
- Knock before entering. Introduce yourself to all in the room.
- Listen attentively and shape the tone of your conversation from cues offered by the patient.
- Be brief — generally it is better to under-stay than over-stay.
- Excuse yourself when a doctor or nurse enters the room unless the patient asks you to remain.
- Offer to pray with the patient and ask if he or she has specific prayer requests.
Don’t:
- Don’t make hospital visits if you are not feeling well.
- Don’t sit on the patient’s bed.
- Don’t help the patient out of the bed, touch any equipment or give the patient food (call a nurse if the patient is requesting this assistance).
- Don’t press for details (ask “How are you feeling?” instead of “What is your prognosis?”).
- Don’t make promises about outcomes or offer false optimism.
- Don’t participate in criticism about the doctor or treatment.
- Don’t whisper to others in the room or assume a patient under sedation cannot hear you.
- Don’t share your own troubles; focus on the patient.
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