How to visit someone in the hospital

It's almost always a good thing to visit your friend when they're in the hospital. If you're asking yourself, "Should I go visit or not?" just go ahead and do it! It's good for the patient and it's good for you, even if it means a stretch outside of your comfort zone. (On the other hand, if you barely know the patient, or you really don't want to visit, don't.)

Different hospital patients have different needs. Rest is usually one of them, so it's important for visits to be relaxing and enjoyable for the patient.

Before you go, there's nothing wrong with praying: "Lord, bless our time together. As we talk, open our eyes to ways we can encourage and help..." You are helping already by showing very tangibly that you care. Other needs may surface during your visit.

• Plan to keep your visit short. 30 minutes is usually plenty of time. If you find you're staying longer, suggest that you should leave and wait for the patient to insist that you stay longer. And if the conversation flags after 15 minutes, or the patient drops off to sleep, you don't have to stay the rest of the time.
• If you are a praying person, plan to pray with the patient. Tell them so early in the visit: "We just wanted to see how you were doing, let you know what's going on in the outside world and pray with you. Would that be alright?"
• Sample introductory lines when you arrive at the patient's room:
• Hey, how you feeling? 
• OK for us to visit with you for a few minutes? You're not feeling too tired, sick? You don't have a procedure coming up in the next few minutes? 
• Please don't feel like you have to entertain guests. If you need to rest, just let us know.
• Can we refill your water? get you a soda? (Nurses and techs do this, but sometimes they could use a hand.) Did you know they have popsicles here! and juices (orange, apple, etc).
• Scripture pictures/cards are lasting encouragement after you go. Bring scotch tape and see if you can find a place to put one up that's within the patient's range.
• A small number of snacks, both sweet and salty, help with munchies for the patient or their family. Single-serving size is best. mini rice cakes, pretzels, cheese&crackers, chips, cheetos. (Crumbs are bad.) If you do snacks, a small thing of handiwipes would also be helpful.
• If you see debris around, you can just throw it away: wrappers, tape, etc.
• If you go to the trouble of going to the patient's room, but they're asleep or out of the room for some reason, it's great to leave a note. Coordinate with the nurse about the best place to put it.
• If you have a chance to call ahead before your visit, ask if there's anything the patient wants/needs that you can bring by. A magazine? a DVD? handouts from last night's Bible study/business meeting? a newspaper? A forgotten item from home.

Too many suggestions for one post! It all boils down to this. Just go. Be natural. Be brief. Love your friend. That's what it's all about.