Visitors: do they tend to be the same age as patient?

[KimGee]

Do visitors tend to be the same age as the patient (assuming that we are talking about adult patients)? [Thanks to klone for the insight.]

[klone, MSN, RN]

No.

Especially if the patient is in the NICU or peds.

A little context would help us answer your question a bit better.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Umm ...

Can I ask what your underlying assumption is for this question?

Do you believe that, for example, on a pediatric unit, that the visitors will be mostly other children?

Can you think about a situation in which you might be a visitor? Whom would you most likely be visiting?

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

Seems an odd question. I'm 43..if I were to be in the hospital, my husband would visit (same age), my kids would visit (25+ years younger) and my parents would visit (25+ years older).

[noahsmama]

No. Even if we limit the question to adults pts, they are likely to be visited by family and friends of all ages. One pt that I had in nursing school, who was about to pass away and whose extended family all wanted to visit her one last time, was herself in her late 80s, and her visitors ranged in age from her children who were in their 60s to her great-great grandchildren who were toddlers.

In fact, I really can't think of any valid assumptions you could make about visitors' ages based on pt's age -- sorry!

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Again -- think of a scenario in which you yourself were the visitor. Or the patient, for that matter.

Who would likely visit you if you were hospitalized? Only those (siblings/friends/cousins) close to your own age? Or family, who span multiple generations?

I'm suggesting that you examine this from a real-world perspective as this will save you considerable time in your project instead of operating from the assumption that all things are equally possible.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Ah, a school project. Drat, I felt into their trap!

[Belle Epoque]

A project, you say? Geez, I only wish my projects were so simplistic!

[canigraduate]

Nope. Usually there is a generation gap or two. My older patients are visited by kids and grandkids, my middle aged patients by parents and kids, and my young patients by parents and grandparents. Teenagers, however, are usually surrounded by a gaggle of other teenagers, in addition to the parents/grandparents/younger siblings.

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

Do visitors tend to be the same age as the patient (assuming that we are talking about adult patients)? [Thanks to klone for the insight.]

Not always, depends if they are friends, family, from their church.......

You get ALL age groups for any patient in my experience.

[KimGee]

Thanks to those who provided thoughtful answers. This was not for a school project. It involves developing estimates for a real-world situation.