Singing big band tunes to wake a patient out of delirium

Delirium, a transient change in mental status often occurring in hospitalized patients, can be frustrating to the medical staff. Especially if they’re unfamiliar with their baseline state of function.

Here’s a pretty funny story that hospitalist Theresa Chan recounts, where she, along with the nurse and physical therapist, sings big band tunes to a 90-year old who recently underwent hip surgery.

Find out how the previously somnolent patient (via Dr. Val) responded, and indeed, why Dr. Chan deserves a pat on the back.

Related posts:

1. Your hospital and Looney Tunes
2. Patient e-mail: Potential lawsuit
3. Physicians as healthcare providers
4. Does your patient really need another chest CT?
5. Counseling extremely wealthy patients
6. How the physical exam can affect the doctor-patient relationship
7. The unintended consequences of preventing patient falls

Tagged as: hospital, hospitalist, patient, surgery