Long, clinical corridors, white coats wandering, scalpels at the ready, and sick people crowding every room – it’s easy to see why people are afraid of hospitals.
Perhaps the widespread fear of these institutions stems from the media. Headlines like “MRSA OVERLOAD!” and “SUPERBUG APOCALYPSE!” are unlikely to warm you to the idea of a ward visit. In the UK, the NHS is the punching bag of the media – and it’s frightening people away.
Nervousness in the hospital isn’t confined to the UK, however. Most famously, even ex-president Richard Nixon refused to head there, terrified of the consequences.
But hospitals are nothing like the unhygienic death pits vilified by the media. The vast majority of them are meticulously clean. And although superbugs might still be lurking around the corner, everything is being attempted to stem the flow.
If you’re still feeling the fear, we’ve got a few tips to put your mind at ease. Have a look and keep your head held high when you walk through those hospital doors.
Check the Contractors
The cleanliness of a hospital isn’t left solely in the hands of busy medical professionals.
To ensure hygiene standards are at their highest levels, private contractors are called in to keep every ward spick and span.
They’ll fit sanitary bins and polish toilets, change bedsheets, mop floors and disinfect any hygiene danger zone. And hospitals, partly for fear of negative media backlash, only choose cleaning services with the most prestigious reputation.
If you want to set your mind at ease, find out your hospital’s cleaning contractor and view their track record. Chances are you won’t be disappointed.
Chat With the Pros
Remember that BT ad from the 90s? The one that said, “It’s good to talk”? Always keep it in mind before you head into a ward.
Doctors and nurses aren’t just emotionless machines. They understand the nerves some people harbor when it comes to visiting a hospital.
More than this, they’re trained in the art of reassurance. Perfecting your bedside manner is a necessity for any medical professional – and they’ll always be ready to put your mind at ease.
Chat to your doctor about your fears, be they hygienic or surgical, and you’ll enjoy all the reassurance you need. Sometimes you just need to know you’re in safe hands.
Kit Up
Keeping clean while you’re ill can be difficult at the best of times. Do you remember being bunged up with flu? Even in its milder forms, popping in the shower felt like too much effort.
So just imagine how it feels to stay clean when you’re bedbound in hospital.
While nurses will keep you hygienic as best they can, you’ll feel more at ease knowing you’ve done your bit.
Pack a hygiene kit before you head to the world of white coats and check-ups. And follow hospital protocol as closely as possible, washing your hands when you move between wards and giving your bed a tidy whenever you can.
Keeping clean on your own terms is always preferable – and it’ll fight that fear efficiently.
