Katie Taylor, CCLS, Child Life on Call

We do the best we can to convey to our patients that safety is our number one priority when they are in our care. But what happens after they walk out that door? Some of the most critical moments happen before a patient is discharged as they are receiving instructions for how to continue to heal at home and return to “normal.”

While our patients are in our hospital, we teach them hand hygiene, the importance of cleanliness, how to eat mindfully and healthfully, how to describe their levels of pain and feelings toward that pain, but then they go home. Let’s keep the momentum going and send them home with items from SmileMakers and a flyer that reminds them of what they learned. These are great bags for siblings, too!

1. Offer a plush emoji and talk about how describing pain at home can be the same as using the face scale in the hospital
2. Talk about the importance of recording feelings, thoughts, or details about their health and give them a small notebook to write in.
3. Give them hand sanitizer small enough to take with them and teach the importance of hand washing in public places.
4. Provide a stuffy that can be used an item to hold, hug, or snuggle when emotions are running high.
5. Discuss the importance of wearing masks and offer them fun designs that will help with mask compliance. Who can say no to unicorns and Legos?

Add this flyer to your patient’s discharge bag to remind of what you taught them during their hospitalization.

Let’s continue the conversation of staying healthy after discharge. What do you do to prepare patients for going home? Let us know on our social pages.