Hospital visitation is fairly simple. We have all heard horror stories of inept visitors that tell about a friend who died from the patient’s malady. We are all afraid of saying the wrong thing but common sense and love will help you avoid pitfalls.
Family members often contact the church office with information such as room numbers so get the room number before you go. If you do not have the room number ask at the “Patient Information” desk. Virtually all hospitals have a volunteer or employee who’s main role is to help visitors to the hospital find where they need to go.
Many hospitals also have a list categorized by “Religious Affiliation” that allows you to look for others who may be members of your congregation but have not had a chance to contact anyone about their hospital visit yet. Imagine the impact of being able to visit a patient or family who has just arrived.
Once you get to the patient’s room, knock firmly and wait for a reply. Then open the door and ask if this is a good time for a visit. If the doctor is there or it is an inconvenient time, you might want to wait a few minutes or visit another patient and come back. This may save you an additional trip to the hospital.
Allow the conversation to flow naturally. If appropriate, ask, “What does the doctor say?” or “When do they say you will get to go home?” An open ended question is usually all it takes to get the conversation going.
There are five words that will guarantee that your hospital visit is a success.
May We Have a Prayer?
Simply imagine that the situation were reversed. If you or a loved one were in the hospital and someone loved you enough to visit, would you critique their visitation skills or would you be grateful they cared for you and your family?
A successful visit is a visit you make, is it not a visit you intended to make, nor a visit you do perfectly. If you go, you will be successful, but there are five words that make any visit even more successful.
May we have a prayer? Those five words will insure that your visit is successful. As an elder you are there to care for their spiritual needs. The medical staff and physicians are there for the physical needs. Family members and loved ones are usually there for the emotional needs.
Always ask before you lead a prayer. Very rarely a person will decline. If they do, respect that decision and pray for them privately later. Usually the people you are with are wanting, even craving, prayers. By asking them, you are respecting the family, giving them a chance to mention specific prayer requests and preparing them for the prayer.
This article is adapted from Shepherding: Ten Ways to Be a More Effective Elder by Curt Gunz.