Why Not Provide a Visual Cue to Inform People of the Patient's Needs?

It's interesting to see how many Icons are present on this Information Board in the Patient's Room at a Hospital. Also, it's surprising to notice that there is no Icon to inform the staff the patient has T-6 Complete Paraplegia and is paralyzed below his injury with altered sensations. There is absolutely no visual cue. Also, there is no Wheelchair in the room. There are no notes on the board about what people 'should know' about the patient. The staff might get the idea the patient can get up and use the restroom, or fetch a bucket to vomit, or attend to some other need by himself. If there is an emergency, staff might think a young man can fend for himself and get out of the building by emergency exits. When I was visiting this patient in the hospital, I noticed there was no sign indicating need for wheelchair and there was no wheelchair for this paralyzed patient. I tried to find out who the Case Manager was. Nobody could put me in touch with the Case Manager. So I called the Brewster Ambulance Company that transported the patient to the Hospital and asked how to get the patient's Wheelchair to him at the Hospital. The Dispatcher explained to me that the Case Manager is responsible for informing the Ambulance Company that a patient is in need of a Wheelchair and then it's transported. The fabulous dispatcher organized to fetch the wheelchair upon my call. Fabulous. I thank Brewster Ambulance and wish I had known this before because for five years the patient has had a continual problem getting any wheelchair in any hospital or rehab or nursing home. Which I find to be very strange indeed. I finally wrote a few notes on the Information Board. Never heard a reply, but I think the staff realized someone was involved in advocating for the patient, and the Case Manager arranged a very nice transfer to an appropriate Rehab facility where he got the care he needed once his health issues were under control.

Once the Wheelchair showed up, at least there was a Visual Cue present in the room with the Patient. Hopefully, at least the presence of the Wheelchair would provide some kind of information to let the staff recognize what the patient needs, although it might be more effective if the need for a Wheelchair had been included in the ICONS and any other notes and planning for in the room Information.