Finally
President Obama signed an order yesterday giving gay and lesbian patients the right to have their partners visit in the hospital (typically U.S. hospitals restrict visitors in many departments to family members and spouse only). Gay and lesbian partners will also finally be able to have medical power of attorney, to make medical decisions for the patient if he or she is unable to do so. It's about time.
As a nurse I can attest that gay couples often are separated during hospitalization, especially for treatment of severe trauma (intensive care units are notoriously strict about the family-only policy). Hospital staff have refused to tell partners of gay patients ANYTHING about their loved one's medical condition because the partner is not immediate family or legal spouse. I have seen family members from whom the patient has been estranged for years, come in after a serious medical trauma and make decisions for the patient that are against what the patient and partner have decided -- and the partner cannot do anything about it. Sometimes it's even done out of spite, especially if the family is against homosexuality and chooses this time to lash out. People can be so petty and cruel.
At least now, such scenarios won't be able to happen, because patients of any orientation will be able to CHOOSE whom to allow as visitors. I'm happy to hear it. Here's a very short article about the changes:
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/04/15/Obama_Signs_Hospital_Visitation_Memorandum/
As a nurse I can attest that gay couples often are separated during hospitalization, especially for treatment of severe trauma (intensive care units are notoriously strict about the family-only policy). Hospital staff have refused to tell partners of gay patients ANYTHING about their loved one's medical condition because the partner is not immediate family or legal spouse. I have seen family members from whom the patient has been estranged for years, come in after a serious medical trauma and make decisions for the patient that are against what the patient and partner have decided -- and the partner cannot do anything about it. Sometimes it's even done out of spite, especially if the family is against homosexuality and chooses this time to lash out. People can be so petty and cruel.
At least now, such scenarios won't be able to happen, because patients of any orientation will be able to CHOOSE whom to allow as visitors. I'm happy to hear it. Here's a very short article about the changes:
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/04/15/Obama_Signs_Hospital_Visitation_Memorandum/