Patient re-orientation: The best quarter I ever spent!
“How can I convince you that you are in a hospital and not at home?”
“I don’t know,” the patient said while sitting upright in his bed with eyes gazed out the window on his right.
The SLP looked for objects close by.
“Does this stethoscope belong in a hospital or at home?”
“Hospital,” the patient quickly muttered.
“Does this IV pole belong in a hospital or at home?”
“Hospital.”
“Does the food look like hospital food or food you would find at home?”
“Hospital food.”
“Okay, good, now we are getting somewhere. So where are we?”
“We are at home and everyone is making it look like a hospital.”
The SLP thought quickly,
“Well, is this bed something you would find at home or in a hospital?”
“Well, beds are at home and in hospitals.” Good reasoning, the SLP thought to himself.
“True. But, this is a special bed. It goes up and down when you push these buttons. Does your bed at home go up and down when you push buttons?”
“Not unless you put a quarter in it.”
We were so close!
