Room with a view

I have seen the most acute suffering produced from the patient not being able to see out of the window and the knots of the wood being the only view
Florence Nightingale 1860

There is nothing more soul-destroying than a boring outlook in a sick room or waiting room. Now many hospitals are trying hard to alleviate this tedium by thinking about garden views, murals, paintings, sculptures or interesting posters.

• 'Hospice at home' nurse helps terminally ill patients through their photographs
• A box of labelled food in the ward kitchen can help a patient who is struggling to enjoy food
• A midwife offers some simple, but brilliant ideas for mothers in labour
• Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center's beautiful grounds cheer patients during treatment
• Simple ideas can make a huge difference in care homes and nursing homes
• Alzheimer's Society explain how to understand and respect someone with dementia
• Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust lifts the spirits of patients and relatives through art
• Bancroft Gardens Residential Home enjoy classic films accompanied by ginger beer and popcorn
• Birds round a bird table provide hours of gentle entertainment for patients in hospital
• British Geriatric Society urge staff and relatives to keep older people's glasses sparkling clean
• British Lung Foundation offer Breathe Easy Support groups
• Colourful, large wall mounted calendars help patients with dementia
• CancerHelp UK explains benefits of art therapy for cancer sufferers
• Car drives to a local beauty spot give pleasure to many residents in Care homes
• Changing the View
• Clearly written notes, clearly displayed can help carers care for patients in the community
• Cocktails in the garden lift the spirits of residents at a Care Home in Derbyshire
• conkerrcancer.org is a project that delivers cheerful pillows to sick children in hospital
• Curtains simply re-aligned can improve the view for a patient
• Digital photo frames enable patients with limited movement to enjoy many photographs
• Dorset County hospital, Dorchester run a 'Diners Club' for stroke patients
• Dorset County Hospital Stroke unit volunteers make a huge difference
• First impressions are so important
• Helpful advice on admission to hospital. A personal view from a relative
• Helping to run their care home dignifies many residents
• Holding hands brings great comfort to some patients
• How a family coped when their child with Down's syndrome developed leukaemia
• If a patient can't sleep...there may be a reason!
• Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust use Memory Suitcases to help patients with dementia
• Juliet Shaw, District Nursing Student offers her thoughts on care in the community
• Kind, reassuring words can make a huge difference to patient care
• Labelled family photos around the bed can help staff relate to patients with communication problems
• Large hospitals often have several car parks Be warned
• Live film from local beauty spots helps calm patients in isolation wards at Dorset County Hospital
• Making connections can make patients feel more at home
• Mirrors can add light to a room, and so much more
• Mirrors can help increase the range of vision of patients with disabilities
• Moving or raising the bed for a better view
• Mr Smith's outpatients appointment
• Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham offer 'live' music in cancer centre waiting room
• Heart of England NHS - Musical Interludes
• Neonatal unit in Scotland provides thoughtful items for their babies
• New Cross hospital in Wolverhampton pioneers care for people with dementia
• Nil by Mouth signs should include date and time the fasting started
• Nurses offers advice relevant to all patients but especially the terminally ill
• Patients should be treated as guests
• New Newton Abbot hospital guarantees patients a room with a view
• Patients can help each other in so many ways
• Patients own books, magazines and toys reduce cross-infection and relieve boredom in waiting rooms
• Patients urge staff to include them in their social conversation on the wards
• Perfume makes a real difference
• Personal thoughts from a District Nursing Student following the loss of her father
• Pets as Therapy
• Bancroft Gardens Residents enjoy photo session with full make up and hair-dos
• Political Correctness? There are moments when the best staff know it's best to ignore the rules!
• Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil offers gentle entertainment to patients with cancer
• Project Linus brings comfort to sick children through beautifully hand-made blankets and quilts
• Bancroft Gardens Care home opens their doors to sunshine and the community
• Royal Brompton Hospital's 'Modern Matron' thinks 'outside the box' to help long term patients
• Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital invite entertainers to amuse and delight the patients
• Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital 's art classes have multiple benefits
• Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital 's new bird tables entertain patients and help wildlife
• RS suggests ways of keeping the belongings of a patient more accessible
• Shakespeare Hospice move the reception desk and make a difference in more ways than one!
• Simple life history in a picture frame helps communication with stroke victim
• Sister P's simple ideas make a huge diffence to patient care
• Insomnia - things to do that can make a difference
• Solihull hospital uses computer games to help patients' recovery
• Taking time to understand a patient before treatment begins can make an enormous difference
• Tea and coffee machines make communal areas of large residential homes more user-friendly
• Teenage Cancer Trust offers lots of advice for family and friends
• The Queen's Nursing Institute launch campaign Right Nurse, Right Skills
• Tracy Parkinson believes that laughter is a patient's best medicine .. and don't forget their pets
• Changing the way curtains are pulled back can hugely increase a patient's view
• University Hospital, Coventry's Memory Lane and Forget-me-not Lounge help patients with dementia
• Lip creams available by the bed can make a patient more comfortable
• Coffee and tea machines make communal areas in large residential homes more user-friendly
• Visitors with bright interesting clothing can bring a smile to a patient on dull days
• The American 'Associated Content' website offers advice on Warmth and Coolness in hospital
• Wellchild offers specialised help for sick children and their families