Core words
The words reused in every sentence: I, want, help, more, stop. The board to start with.
Open the core board →Intubated & ventilated · ICU · Post-stroke · ALS · Post-surgery
Hospital communication board
A free communication board for a hospital bed. It carries the words a patient actually needs when they cannot speak: pain, water, suction, sit me up, cold, scared, my family, say that again. Print it and tape it where the patient can see it, or tap it here and let the device speak.
FreeNo sign-upFree to copy and share
Tap words to build a sentence. Each word is spoken as you tap.
Hospital communication board
Use it here, or press Print this board for a clean one-page copy. Printing works to PDF from any browser.
Using this board well
Put it where the patient can see it, not where staff can
The most common failure is a board on a clipboard at the foot of the bed. Someone lying flat, restrained, or with limited head movement cannot use it there. Tape it to the bed rail, the overbed table, or hold it in their line of sight.
Ask yes or no questions first
Pointing takes effort that a sedated or exhausted patient may not have. Start with questions they can answer with one look or one finger, and use the board to narrow down what is wrong rather than to build sentences.
Check they can actually see it
Glasses go missing on admission constantly. So do hearing aids. Before deciding someone cannot communicate, check whether they simply cannot see the board or hear the question. That is why both are on it.
Assume they understand everything
A patient who cannot speak because of a tube usually has entirely intact comprehension, including of what is said about them at the bedside. Intubation is not sedation and it is not confusion.
Common questions
Do hospitals have communication boards?
Many do, but availability is inconsistent and boards are frequently missing exactly when a patient is intubated, post-stroke, or in intensive care. Families routinely bring their own. This one is free to print for that reason: no account, no app, no waiting on a supplies request.
What is a communication board for intubated patients?
A board with the vocabulary that matters while a tube prevents speech: pain, breathing, suction, position, temperature, and the questions a patient wants answered. Comprehension is usually completely intact, so the wording should be adult and direct. This board is written that way.
Can a ventilated patient use a communication board?
Usually yes, if it is placed where they can see it and they have any reliable movement, including eye pointing. If they cannot point, a partner can move a finger across the rows and ask them to blink or squeeze on the right word. That is called partner-assisted scanning and it needs no equipment.
Is this hospital communication board free?
Yes. Print it, photocopy it, laminate it, hand it to a nurse, put it in a ward folder. There is no sign-up, no email wall, and no charge.
Other free boards
Communication board for adults
Aphasia · Stroke · ALS · Cerebral palsy · Head injury
Open this board →Communication board for autism
Nonspeaking & minimally speaking autistic people, any age
Open this board →A printed board cannot speak
SayHarbor is an AAC app that speaks aloud, fully offline, and comes with you. Speech is never behind a paywall. It is coming to iPhone and iPad. In the meantime, see the AAC apps that are free today.