"Effective communication and included in my care plan"

I was brought in quickly due to severe tonsillitis and was promptly given IV antibiotics and fluids. That night, a nurse became unwell and the admissions side room had to be closed due to a lack of staff available to run it. However, my assigned nurse was excellent in keeping me informed. They explained the situation clearly and answered my questions in detail, which helped me understand what was going on behind the scenes.

I felt very included in my care and well informed, which is something I don’t always experience. As someone who is profoundly deaf and relies on lip reading, it meant a lot to have a nurse who was attentive and descriptive. Normally, I find that nurses aren’t as detailed when answering questions, and that can leave me feeling excluded from decisions and unsure about what to expect.

That said, I do wish there was slightly more effort in asking about and accommodating my communication preferences. While doctors are usually good at moving to a quiet area to speak with me, some are uncomfortable removing their masks, which makes it hard for me to lip-read. This has happened before and again during this admission. It’s really important that staff are confident in adapting communication to meet the needs of deaf patients.