I may not know exactly what will help until I’m there. These are things that might make hospital easier for me.
You can give this sheet to the nurse looking after you.
Name: ______________________________
Name I like to be called: ______________________________
Date of birth: ______________________________
Someone who can help me communicate, if I want them to: Name: ______________________________ Relationship: ______________________________
Talking to me
Please tick anything that might help.
Please use clear, direct language.
Please ask me one question at a time.
I may need extra time to answer.
Please give me time to process what you have said before asking another question.
Written information may be easier for me than spoken information.
Please tell me if the plan changes.
Please tell me what is going to happen next when you know.
If I do not answer straight away, please give me a little time.
Something else that might help:
Touch, examinations and procedures
Please tell me before you touch me.
Please explain what you are going to do before you do it.
Please show me equipment before you use it, if possible.
Please warn me before something may hurt, squeeze, feel cold or make a noise.
If I need a hospital wristband, please leave it as loose as is safely possible.
Please do not move my belongings without telling me.
Something else that might help:
My bed space
Please tell me you are there before opening my curtain.
Please do not enter my bed space without letting me know first.
Sudden movement around me can startle me.
Please tell me before moving my bed, chair or belongings.
Something else that might help:
Noise, light and the hospital environment
Sudden or loud noises may be difficult for me.
Bright lights may be difficult for me.
Strong smells may be difficult for me.
A busy waiting area may be difficult for me.
If possible, I may need somewhere quieter to wait.
I may use headphones or ear defenders when it is safe to do so.
I may need a short break from noise, conversation or questions.
Something else that might help:
Waiting and changes
Not knowing how long I will be waiting may be difficult for me.
Please tell me if you know roughly what I am waiting for.
Please let me know about changes as soon as you can.
Unexpected changes can be difficult for me.
It helps if someone explains why something has changed.
Something else that might help:
If I become overwhelmed
When I am overwhelmed, it might look like:
Things that might help me:
I may find speaking difficult when I am overwhelmed.
I may need extra time before I can answer.
I may need fewer questions for a while.
I may need someone I trust to help me communicate.
Something important that is not on this sheet
If I also have a health or hospital passport
Please use that too.
This sheet does not replace a health or hospital passport. It is just a quick way to tell hospital staff about things that might make being in hospital easier for me.