Hi all,
Thank you for taking part in the survey and open discussion about your experiences with epilepsy monitoring at Mayo Clinic and other institutions. The Patient Experience Nursing Team interviewed 12 hospitalized patients and sought input from you, members of the Epilepsy group on Mayo Clinic
Connect, asking:
- "What is your greatest fear in being here?"
- "What was your greatest need in the hospital?"
- "What would have made you more comfortable?"

From the feedback and insights you provided the Patient Experience Nursing Team developed a quick guide for nurses in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at Mayo Clinic. Following this guide will encourage communication to help make patients feel more comfortable, safe and confident while being monitored. The guide identifies three areas of concern: 1) anxiety and fear, 2) a loss of control, and 3) a loss of independence.

The team then developed strategies to address the concerns, such as:
- Asking patients about their fears, validating these fears and addressing them during rounding
- Communicating with empathy
- Discussing the lack of privacy and offering options, where possible

Communication, particularly empathetic communication, is vital. Your input helped underline the concerns and needs that patients in the epilepsy monitoring unit commonly have and how they can be addressed.

THANK YOU!