Hospital stays and visiting
Follow what ward staff say, visit well and get someone home.
Hi, my mum was admitted last night. Which ward is she on?
Computer voice · not a real clip
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All 15 phrases
Finding and visiting4
- Which ward is she on?Ask at main reception or the help desk.
- What are the visiting times?Many wards set hours and 'protected mealtimes' when visitors are asked to leave.
- Can I bring anything in for him?Usual answer: pyjamas, slippers, a phone charger, toiletries.
- Is the car park pay and display?Hospital parking usually costs money in England, with some groups exempt.
What staff say6
- Mum's had a fallThe British way to say an older person fell, often why they were admitted.
- He's comfortableHospital-speak for stable and not in pain.
- She's nil by mouthNothing to eat or drink, usually before surgery or a test.
- The consultant will see her on the ward roundThe consultant is the senior doctor in charge.
- They're doing her obs every hour'Obs' are observations: blood pressure, temperature, pulse and oxygen.
- They've put a cannula inA small tube in the back of the hand or arm for drips and medication.
Speaking up3
- I'm worried she's getting worse. Can I ask for a Martha's Rule reviewIn England, if a patient gets worse and staff are not listening, they or their family can ask another team for an urgent review.
- Who's the nurse in charge today?The person to ask about care or complaints on the ward.
- I'm her next of kin. Can someone update meStaff may only share details with people the patient has agreed to; being 'next of kin' doesn't give you decision-making rights by itself.
Going home2
Check yourself15 questions
Question 1 of 15
Where should you ask which ward someone is on?
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About this pack
- Price
- Free
- Account
- Not needed, saved on this device
- Reviews
- 1, 3, 7, 14 and 30 days later
- Moments
- 1 of 15 phrases have a clip
- Sources
Picked by Talk, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Phrases
- Picked by Talk.
- How Talk picked them
- Part of Talk's themed British life packs. Talk wrote each phrase with what it really means, when to say it, what not to say instead and one quiz question. A phrase gets a moment only if Talk's spoken videos say it with the same meaning. One review picked each moment, and a second tried to reject it. This pack holds 15 phrases.
- Licence
- Talk shares this list under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Meanings and examples
- Written by Talk in plain English.
- Dictionary details
- From Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Princeton WordNet, used under the WordNet licence. WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
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