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Guest Experience Lessons Learned From Years in Hospitals

Unfortunately, my mom spent the last five years of her life in and out of hospitals. Fortunately, it taught me a lot about how I wanted to be treated during my visits.

Because of the severity of my mother’s condition, I was her primary caregiver. She suffered a severe aneurysm and became paralyzed, so we visited many medical facilities – I remember my experience at all of them, including the quality of the property and staff performance.

It’s hard enough having to watch a loved one become ill. It’s even harder to deal with bad service during those times.

There’s a lot hospitals can do to keep a patient’s family members comfortable. Of course, the patient is top priority. But a patient’s care advocates deserve attention, too, because they are there to enhance the success of the medical team by also delivering the patient physical, emotional, and mental support.

These visitors are also most likely to spread the word about their experience, as well as return if they require medical attention themselves.

What better place for hospitality to shine than at a hospital. From nursing care to lobby setup to cafeteria dining, there are countless opportunities for hospital staff and amenities to shine. When done right, every department can come together to create a positive environment that allows visitors to aid the employee’s mission in making the patient feel better.

My mom’s frequent visits centered around three different hospitals. While some features are consistent and easy to quantify, like medical equipment or dinner menu, the atmosphere of a hospital can be as unique as the energy it houses and the manner in which it is run. It still amazes me how small details like an extra blanket or friendly smile had just as big an impact as the doctors delivering life-altering news.

Below I’ve highlighted the moments that affected us most in the hopes that any hospital or inpatient facility can realize just how big an impact they have – an impact not only felt by patients, but by the visitors surrounding them.

The Beginning

When everything first happened, we took my mom to the nearest hospital. Luckily, there were many things done right at our first stop on her incredible journey.

From the moment she went into emergency surgery, the staff kept us updated at least every hour. We spent the night in the surgery waiting area. The 14-hour operation meant we spent the night, and it would’ve been nice to have an area to stretch out. All of the chairs had wooden arms, so we were curled up in uncomfortable positions most of the night.

After Mom was transferred to ICU for recovery, I was comforted by employees from all departments, who constantly checked in to see if I needed food, blankets, or even a hug. We had enough space to sit with her, even though ICU restricted the amount of visitors at a time for health reasons.

Eventually she moved to a room on the fourth floor. Sharing space with other patients was tough. The severity of my mom’s condition meant a lot of personal care situations would arise – ones that she needed help with constantly – and I wish we could’ve had a private room. I noticed other rooms with no one in them, and although I understand placing patients in rooms together helps out the nurses, someone in an extreme condition relying heavily on their family could warrant a private space when available.

The Middle

A rehabilitation hospital was the next stop for us, and we ended up at a Catholic-sponsored facility. Here is where my mom would regain whatever physical and mental function would be available to her for the rest of her limited life span.

The physical therapists at this hospital went above and beyond to improve my mom’s quality of life. They would extend sessions, come up early to her room to show her extra tips on how to dress herself or slide into her new wheelchair, and when I would accompany her on her exercise sessions they would bring me in and make me a part of the activity. This way I could feel like I was helping in some way. Some of the staff even came out to hear my mom sing at her favorite pub months after she was discharged from their care.

This hospital will always hold a special place in my heart. Not because of the food (it was not the tastiest) and not because of the decor (the last time it was renovated was probably 1972), but the staff will stay with me for a lifetime.

The End

We had no choice in where my mom died. She was declining quickly towards the end, and her at-home hospice service admitted her to one of the local in-patient facilities they operate out of.

It wasn’t a pleasant experience, and believe it or not, the reason was not why you’d think. Although we were lucky enough to have lovely nurses most of the time, some shifts we were not so lucky. I had to ask around for snacks, towels, pillowcases, and other things to make my mom comfortable during her final hours. It would have been convenient to have these necessities easily accessible. After all, I was supplementing a lot of care the staff would otherwise have to handle on their own.

Her room did have a comfortable sofa that unfolded into a small bed, which was appreciated during lulls where my mom would rest and I could catch up on sleep. I just wish that we were made to feel like we mattered, and like what I was going through meant something to the place that will stay with me for the rest of my life.