When my family decided to ignore my Grandma’s protests and drag her little butt to the hospital. We chose the Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC). She ended up staying at the hospital for about 6 weeks. From her colon cancer diagnosis through her post surgery rehabilitation, we saw almost every wing of that place. During that time we experienced the most compassionate and patient bedside manner ever.
My Grandma is demanding, but the nurses, aides and doctors all treated her with respect and empathy. At one point, she even felt like she was at a hotel. Admittedly, she has not been to many hotels, but, her stay there was quite comfortable.
In the weeks before her surgery, someone from my family spent every night in the room. Each of the rooms she was in had a large reclining chair that allowed us to catch a few zzz’s. She was so sick that she’d started hallucinating so, we didn’t want her to awaken not see a familiar face. We’d gotten so comfortable as hospital guests that we knew how to tap air out of the IV line and reposition her arm to avoid late night beeping.
Each shift would come in and introduce themselves and write their contact information on the white board in the room. My Grandma didn’t understand that some folks worked the night shift. She would tell them,
“Oh honey, you go on home. I am sure you have a family to take care of. My granddaughters are here, they can take care of everything.”
LOL
My Lessons:
- Choose a hospital with a reputation for excellent customer service. US News & World Report publishes a list each year. Here is this year’s list.
- Show up. Your presence at the hospital helps the patient’s spirits and lets the docs, nurses and aides know that somebody is going to be there to hold them accountable.
The Grandma Chronicles 