Hailey Tran
Writing a story set in a hospital requires attention to detail and an understanding of hospital dynamics. The story could be centred around a patient, doctor, nurse, or other hospital staff member, with the hospital acting as a backdrop or playing a more integral role in the narrative. When writing about hospitals, it is important to be mindful of language and to conduct thorough research to ensure accuracy and avoid stereotypes. The type of hospital, its size, location, and specialty areas will influence the story, as will the characters' roles and interactions. The sights, sounds, and smells of a hospital can be used to create vivid descriptions and build atmosphere, while patient stories can be powerful marketing tools that showcase the human side of healthcare.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Story Type | First-person narrative |
| Setting | Emergency Department, inpatient room, waiting room |
| Characters | Doctors, nurses, medical students, residents, interns, patients, family members, community members |
| Plot | Patient's journey, recovery, determination, support from family and medical team |
| Details | Sounds, smells, visuals, terminology |
| Terminology | Use plain language, avoid outdated terms |
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What You'll Learn
- Choose a hospital type: small community or large teaching hospital
- Understand the hierarchy: interns, residents, and attending physicians
- Describe the setting: sights, sounds, and smells of a hospital
- Patient stories: use plain language and first-person narratives
- Character placement: ED, ICU, maternity, or pediatric floors
Choose a hospital type: small community or large teaching hospital
When writing a story about a hospital, it's important to choose the right setting and context. This includes deciding on the type of hospital that best fits your narrative. Here are some details and instructions to help you choose between a small community hospital and a large teaching hospital:
Small Community Hospital
A small community hospital is typically located in a smaller town or a rural area and serves a smaller population. It may be the only hospital in the area, providing essential medical services to the local community. In this setting, your story could explore the challenges of limited resources and the close-knit relationships between staff and patients. The range of medical services offered in a small community hospital might be more basic or general, with fewer specialized departments compared to a large teaching hospital.
Large Teaching Hospital
On the other hand, a large teaching hospital is usually affiliated with a medical school and is often located in a metropolitan or urban area. These hospitals tend to have a wider range of medical services and specialties due to their larger size and affiliation with academic institutions. In this setting, your story could involve the training of medical students and residents, adding a layer of complexity to the narrative. Large teaching hospitals often have the latest medical technology and attract patients from a wider geographic area, which can impact the dynamics of the story.
Impact on Storytelling
The type of hospital you choose will influence various aspects of your story. For example, the hierarchy of medical professionals will differ between a small community hospital and a large teaching hospital. In a small community hospital, there may be fewer doctors and more reliance on nurses and other support staff. In contrast, a large teaching hospital will have a more complex hierarchy, including attending physicians, residents, interns, and medical students, each with distinct roles and responsibilities.
Additionally, the pace and atmosphere of these hospitals can vary. A small community hospital might have a more intimate and slower-paced environment, while a large teaching hospital could be bustling with activity, reflecting the higher patient volume and the presence of trainees.
Remember, the choice between a small community hospital and a large teaching hospital will shape the details of your story, including the characters, their interactions, and the medical scenarios you portray.
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Understand the hierarchy: interns, residents, and attending physicians
When writing about hospitals, it's important to understand the hierarchy of medical professionals. This is key to crafting believable scenarios and interactions between characters. Here's a breakdown of the hierarchy of interns, residents, and attending physicians:
Interns
Interns are doctors who have recently graduated from medical school and are in the first year of their residency, also known as the "intern year". They are fully qualified doctors with MD degrees, but they are still in the early stages of their careers and require supervision from more senior doctors. Interns can take patient histories, perform examinations, meet with family members, and carry out some medical procedures under supervision. They observe the work of residents and attending physicians and learn from them. Internships typically last a year, after which interns move on to the resident stage.
Residents
Residents are doctors who have completed their internship year and are continuing their medical education and training in a specialized field of medicine. This stage typically lasts from two to seven years, depending on the chosen specialty. For example, a family medicine residency lasts three to four years, while a surgical residency can be seven or more years. During this time, residents provide direct patient care under the supervision of attending physicians or senior residents. They see their own patients, make some medical decisions, and write prescriptions for those under their care. Residents typically have more time to spend with their patients than attending physicians.
Attending Physicians
Attending physicians, also known as attending doctors or attendings, are fully licensed and experienced doctors who have completed their residency training. They have the major responsibility for a patient's care and handle the planning and execution of treatments. They are often educators, playing an active role in the training of interns and residents. Attending physicians report to the head of their department and may have their own practice in their specialty. They are the doctors who are ultimately in charge of a patient during their hospital stay, and any major decisions or important tasks, such as breaking bad news to a patient, are typically handled by them.
The hierarchy of interns, residents, and attending physicians is an important aspect of hospital dynamics. It influences the level of responsibility, supervision, and independence associated with each role. Understanding this hierarchy will help you create realistic scenarios and interactions between characters in a hospital setting.
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Describe the setting: sights, sounds, and smells of a hospital
Hospitals are a unique setting, full of life and death, joy and sorrow, and a myriad of sights, sounds, and smells.
The first thing one might notice is the incessant beeping of monitors, a sound that is ever-present and unique to the hospital environment. The squeaking of shoes on the tiled floors, the whirring of automatic doors, and the drone of families in the waiting room also fill the air. The sound of a hospital is rarely peaceful, and the constant noise can make it hard for patients to rest. The sights are equally as busy: the flash of a monitor lighting up, the rolling of a hospital cot, and the constant movement of doctors and nurses.
The smells of a hospital are also distinct. The antiseptic smell is ever-present, a reminder of the potential for illness and the need for sterility. The smell of medications, liver failure, and surgical procedures can also be overwhelming. The scent of human flesh, when exposed to bacteria, can be particularly strong during operations. The fruity breath of a patient with diabetic ketoacidosis and the musty aroma of a failing liver are also memorable smells.
However, the smells of coffee grounds and mint are often used to mask the more unpleasant scents, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee is often associated with hospitals. The use of essential oils, such as lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint, can also bring a sense of calm to an otherwise chaotic environment.
The sights, sounds, and smells of a hospital can be overwhelming, but they are also a reminder of the resilience of the human condition and the dedication of healthcare workers.
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Patient stories: use plain language and first-person narratives
When writing patient stories, it is important to use plain language and first-person narratives to create a captivating and powerful connection with the audience. Here are some tips to guide you:
Use Plain Language
Write in a clear and relatable way so that readers can easily understand and empathize with the patient's experience. Avoid using complicated terms or rare medical conditions without providing simple explanations. For instance, Kentucky Children's Hospital effectively communicates complex terms in plain language, making it easier for readers to relate to the patient's journey.
First-Person Narrative
First-person accounts are engaging as they allow readers to put themselves in the writer's shoes. This promotes a genuine connection between the reader and the patient. When crafting such narratives, ensure the language is accessible and reflects the patient's voice. You may need to edit for spelling, grammar, and style while preserving the authenticity of the storyteller.
Provide Context
Give a broader context to the patient's story. Include their journey before, during, and after their experience at the hospital. This adds depth and helps readers understand the patient's tipping point for seeking help and their social challenges. Tonya Trostel's childbirth story from UCHealth is an excellent example of providing context, as it begins years before her life-changing experience at the hospital.
Highlight the Human Element
In addition to the patient's journey, acknowledge the dedicated healthcare professionals and specialized programs that contributed to the patient's success. Boone's story from Craig Hospital does this well by highlighting the hospital team members who supported him during his recovery. Including insights from healthcare professionals can demystify the process for readers.
Engage the Senses
When describing the hospital setting, engage the reader's senses. Hospitals are often associated with the pungent smell of disinfectants, the constant beeping of machines, the soft hum of conversation, and the shuffle of nurses' shoes. Details such as the cold metal bed rails, the prick of a needle, or the sweat on a forehead can transport readers into the patient's experience.
By following these guidelines, you can effectively write patient stories that are relatable, engaging, and impactful, fostering a deeper connection with your audience.
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Character placement: ED, ICU, maternity, or pediatric floors
When writing a story about a hospital, it is important to consider the placement of your characters. Hospitals are set up with different patients in different areas, including the emergency department (ED), pediatric floors, adult floors, surgical floors, maternity floors, and ICUs. The type of hospital you've chosen for your story will influence where your character is placed.
For example, if your character is in the ED, you might describe the bustling atmosphere with people on stretchers in the hallway, nurses and doctors scurrying about, and the constant beeping of monitors. The ED is often a chaotic and crowded place, with patients being transported in and out, and various sounds, such as overhead paging, intercom calls, and the shuffle of nurses' shoes.
On the other hand, if your character is in the ICU, you might focus on the more intimate and intense setting. Here, you might describe the constant monitoring and attention that patients receive, with the quiet hum of machines and the occasional code blue/crash cart calls. The ICU can be a tense and emotional place, with loved ones anxiously waiting for updates on their family members' conditions.
If your story involves a maternity floor, you might describe the joy and anticipation of expecting parents, the cries of newborn babies, and the support provided by nurses and doctors. You could also explore the range of emotions that new mothers experience, from joy to grief, and the physical challenges they may face, as depicted in Tonya's story, where she experiences placenta accreta, requiring an unplanned hysterectomy.
Alternatively, if your character is a child, they would be placed on the pediatric floor. Here, you might describe the environment through the eyes of a child, incorporating details such as the beeping of machines, the smell of disinfectants, and the presence of colorful decorations or toys. You could also explore the impact of illness or injury on a child's life and the unique challenges they face during their hospital stay.
The placement of your characters within these different floors or departments of the hospital will influence the tone, atmosphere, and specific medical personnel they interact with, shaping the overall narrative of your story.
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Frequently asked questions
The setting of your story will depend on the type of hospital you choose. For example, a small community hospital in a small town will be very different from a large teaching hospital in a major metropolitan area.
Hospitals are busy places with lots of activity. Depending on the department, you might have people on stretchers in the hallway, doctors and nurses moving about, patients being transported in and out, and monitors beeping. You could also include the sounds of doors sliding open and shut, intercoms calling out codes or directions, and the occasional code blue/crash cart calls.
It's important to understand the hierarchy among medical professionals to make your story believable. For example, medical students have not yet earned their MDs and cannot make medical decisions for patients. Residents and interns are doctors who have graduated from medical school but are still in training and must run major decisions by an attending physician.
Use plain language to clearly explain complex medical terms. Include specific details and get into the weeds of the story, such as the patient's emotions, thoughts, and experiences. Consider writing in the first person to help readers put themselves in the writer's shoes.
