When I saw this on my timeline, I knew I had to highlight it. This is a cause very close to my heart and one I've talked about quite a lot. I had no idea how necessary this was until my Dad was hospitalized with COVID and then again when my Mom was hospitalized with stomach cancer this past year.
She was in significant pain and was entitled to pain medication. The nurse just decided she wasn't going to give it to her because it was 'too much'. Even after speaking to the Doctor and the pharmacist for verification it indeed wasn't 'too much' and she had just come out of a 8 hour surgery and needed it, she still refused to give it. I finally had to get a charge nurse to come and dispense this vital pain relief. Had my Mom been alone, there is no way she would have had the strength to advocate that long and hard for herself. This is just one example of many.
Never leave your loved one alone in the hospital. Every hour you are allowed to be there, if you are able to, I highly recommend being there.
— Suneel Dhand MD (@DrSuneelDhand) March 9, 2026
Be perfectly cordial with staff. But watch over everything like a hawk.
Trust me on this.
I spend the night and make sure I am in the room when the Doctors round. I want to answer questions and ensure I know what is happening.
It starts right from admission to hospital. Double/triple check the medications listed are correct, especially if the “home medications” are being pulled from the computer.
— Suneel Dhand MD (@DrSuneelDhand) March 9, 2026
A lot of “fake news” in electronic medical records.
Then call the next day and and speak with the nurse…
I also made sure to go online and check the Doctor's notes, the test results and any other information placed in the electronic chart.
By hospital day 2 or 3, ensure your loved one is getting up and moving if they are ready.
— Suneel Dhand MD (@DrSuneelDhand) March 10, 2026
Muscular deconditioning, especially over the age of 65, sets iin EXTREMELY quickly— and can lead to complete loss of independence in a previously functional person. I have seen this happen…
Every single medication— pill or injection— that is administered in the hospital: If you are a good advocate for your loved one, I want you to politely and cordially ask the nurse:
— Suneel Dhand MD (@DrSuneelDhand) March 10, 2026
1. What is it?
2. What is the dose?
3. What is it being given for?
I cannot overstate this…
Take notes. Take lots of notes. I also recorded conversations on my phone so I could go back and listen to the information again. If I happened to be out of the room when a Doctor visited, I asked them to please Facetime me so I could listen in and have a conversation with them. Like it or not, patients with involved family get better treatment.
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As an R.N. I agree. SOMEONE needs to be with your loved one 24/7.
— mooselips™ 💋 (@mooselips) March 9, 2026
They are hiring DEI, and people with fake credentials, AND illegals who said they were nurses in their home country, but WITHOUT any background checking or degrees, or credentials.
Be very very careful.
My step dad was dying in the hospital basically starving to death which they attributed to his cancer treatments.
— Westerly1 (@Westerly110) March 9, 2026
Talking with my mom, I figured out his inability to eat and swallow which had been going on for a couple of months, was actually a common and known side effect of a…
Being present for a loved one in the hospital is great, but it’s also important to remember that medical staff are trained professionals whose job is to care for patients around the clock.
— Agba Baller (@yomiprof) March 9, 2026
Family support is valuable, but hovering over every move “like a hawk” can sometimes…
I disagree. Be respectful, polite and grateful. But hover. Like a hawk.
