Canadian Deafblind & Rubella Association of BC


The Hospital Intervention Services Program The Hospital Intervention Services Program has been designed to provide deafblind individuals and families with Intervenor services while they are experiencing challenging medical situations in a hospital setting. This service is open to all members. For families accompanying a child who is deafblind to the hospital we can offer much needed assistance. The families play many roles: parent or family member, consultant with the medical staff and intervenor for their family member. By utilizing a Hospital Intervenor, the family member is available to consult with medical staff or attend procedural appointments without having to intervene at the same time. The Hospital Intervenor can provide flexible hours when they are most needed. The Intervenor is equipped with a host of toys, games, and resources to meet the deafblind individual's needs and ensure that his or her hospital stay is as pleasant as possible under the circumstances. For the adult who is deafblind going to the hospital, the need is no less great. The Hospital intervenor can provide essential information for both the deafblind individual and the medical staff with flexible hours when most needed. We provide Hospital Intervention services within the Greater Vancouver Regional District, Victoria and can make outreach services available for other, more remote areas. In order to receive Hospital Intervention Services, families can click on the link below and fill out the application form. Applying as soon as the hospital dates are known is recommended, as the funds for this program are limited. Our Family Services Coordinator will then contact the family for more information in order to make the necessary arrangements. For more information on this program, please contact the BC Chapter office at 604.528.6170 or bcinfo@cdbrabc.ca. Apply for Hospital Intervention Services Dealing with Medical Situations and Hospital Stays Hospital Survival Tips and Emergency Information by Pat Tomb Pat Tombe is a Foster Parent with 11 years of experience with emergency trips to Children’s Hospital Emergency (ER) and countless 911 calls. She quickly realized that she needed a plan that the ER Staff could read and understand. It needed to include all the information that they keep asking for from the early years of her child to the present, something they could photocopy for their files. With this information in place ahead of time all she would have to do is repeat what happened on this particular trip into the ER. Pat knew that this would keep her stress level down so she could comfort her child. We asked Pat to share her forms. We invite you to take the forms and make them your own. As Pat says: You have to deal with many doctors, nurses, Intravenous nurses, social workers, etc. while trying to keep your family informed. You’re trying to be calm for your child’s sake and not let him or her feel the tension that keeps growing inside of you because you are so worried about her and dealing with the Medical staff. The amount of times that you have to keep repeating the same information over and over and all you really want is for them to make your child better. Here are some ideas that have worked for me while we are in the hospital: 1. Highlight specific information about your child using 8x10 bright colour paper and post them all over the room. These signs will catch people’s attention about the important things they need to know. Keep it simple and direct. a) On the door coming into the room, post a sign that says is I am Deafblind. Please let me know you are here by… b) Post one over the bed with critical life threatening information, such as “NOTHING BY MOUTH” c) On the IV pole. If __________ is going to have a needle, please do the following… d) Any other information about your child the staff should know: 2. Put up a poster showing how your child communicates. Use photos to show body language, etc. 3. Put up a picture of the child when he/she is healthy – a big smile, bright eyes. This opens the door for communication, with their name under the picture, "Hi, I’m …….." 4. Keep a bag of cookies on the hospital tray with a sign on bright paper that says, “Would you like a cookie?” It’s amazing how many nurses come into your room to talk to your child. Suggestions for Helping the Child to Cope An article written by Gillian Croft (in pdf) Medical Information Package The following section provides blank forms (in pdf files) for your medical information package. Use what works for you, feel free to add or delete sections in creating your own information package. We suggest you create one page that can be read quickly with critical information, then provide additional pages with more details. Some parents have laminated the one or two pages for ease of sharing the information. (These forms are a culmination of the work done by the following people: Wendy Bystedt, Emma Dyck, Ellen Faustman, Sue Gawne, Alicia Harris, Robyn Lund, Lenora Spencer, Theresa Tancock, Pat Tombe, Lee Wilcox, Linda Mamer and Joyce Olson) 1.1 Important Information 1.2 Communication Needs 1.3 Detailed Medical Information 1.4 Sample of Information Sheets Information on this page has been adapted from the Provincial Outreach Program for Students with Deafblindness.