Sometimes the effects of treatment or medication can be seen only after some time has passed. It may also be the patient’s condition itself needs observation to see how it develops.
The monitoring may seem pointless to the patient; it is as if nothing is being done. A patient being monitored may, depending on their condition, be asked to wait at the sit-down waiting hall, or in a separate observation room.
A patient being monitored is usually listed with a physician, but during the monitoring, that physician may see other patients as well. Nurses will observe the condition of a patient being monitored and report any changes in their status to the responsible physician.
A patient being monitored does well to inform personnel of any changes in their observed condition – including when the treatment is effective and making them feel better.