A hospitalization is often as dismaying and frightening for family members as it is for the patient. And despite a heartfelt desire to understand what is happening and to comfort their loved one, too often relatives and friends feel helpless and marginalized by the hospital system. This valuable book is the first to assist families and friends of adult patients to navigate the unfamiliar and intimidating territory of the hospital. It spells out in the clearest terms how a family can form a partnership with medical providers to ensure the best patient care possible.Patrick Conlon's inspiration for the book was the sudden, frightening hospitalization of his longtime partner, Jim, and his personal struggles to develop a useful role for himself as a caregiver. Here he provides the handbook he wished he had when Jim was admitted to the hospital. Conlon offers encouragement, proven strategies, and clear advice - all with the goal of empowering others to become successful care partners at the beside of their loved ones.Following are the special features of the book: simple steps to organize information and share it with hospital professionals; handy tear-out checklists to fill out before a surgery consultation, discharge planning, making a complaint, or other important meetings; definitions of hospital jargon - terms, abbreviations, euphemisms, acronyms, etc; and dozens of sidebars with useful tips and facts: Can cell phones interfere with sensitive medical equipment? What does a Code Red call mean? This title offers an easy-to-use caregiver's chart and diary.