Hospital Sitter Services

Programs that offer the services of individuals who sit with people who are hospitalized or in another institutional setting in situations where the patients are determined to be at risk to themselves or their treatment because they are agitated, delirious or confused, unsteady on their feet or on suicide watch. Hospital sitters (also called "patient observers") work under the direct supervision of nursing staff and call for assistance if problems arise (e.g., the patient attempts to remove an IV line or get out of bed) or medical assistance is required. While in most cases sitters are supplied by the hospital or other institution in which an individual is a patient, some home health care agencies provide personnel that family members can hire to serve as an extra pair of eyes and ears to prevent errors and injuries or to function as a companion if they don't want a loved one to be alone.