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What Bugs You When..........?
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You go to a hospital appointment or visit a friend / relative on a hospital ward? What needs changing / improving? thanks!!
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handwashing is the least of it, the doctors don't seem to do it, nor the cleaners, filthy wards, curtains not pulled around seriously ill patients when doctors are attending, and far too many relatives in at one time.
patients and visitors mobile phones are a nightmare, just as you are trying to sleep, ring ring ring
patients and visitors mobile phones are a nightmare, just as you are trying to sleep, ring ring ring
ummm, when someone is seriously ill the last thing they need is noise. when we visited my relative she was lucky to have a single room, but she couldn't interact much with anyone, she was very ill at the time, eventually being transferred to a ward, which i confess was awful.
as for me, i had to endure a family who brought in fast food to the ward, and sat eating it, whilst their mother lay dying, the smell of the burgers made me physically sick.
as for me, i had to endure a family who brought in fast food to the ward, and sat eating it, whilst their mother lay dying, the smell of the burgers made me physically sick.
When I visited a relative in a high dependency unit, I felt that I was EXPECTED that I knew what to do. I tried to go through doors that were locked, so I pressed the intercom system and was told to go to the waiting room. Which one? There were loads. Found it, was told that it was lunch time so we'd have to wait twenty minutes. After waiting an hour I went back to the intercom system to find out what was going on etc and was told that the phone would ring when we could go through (they sounded annoyed with me). Another hour and the car parking ticket running out I asked again. They'd forgotten about me. Maybe a little signage about what to expect when entering such units and what happens next. A phone rings out of the blue, and whoever answers has to yell the surname of the patient to the rest of the waiting room. to say that they can go through. OH has a stutter at times, so he answered it once and refused to answer it again out of embarrassment. This could just be practice in the one hospital, though?
Em - People should understand that but you also can't expect family members to not visit.
When my uncle was in we didn't leave. Between me, my sister, my dad and a friend, we made sure he wasn't on his own. They can't even be trusted to feed the patients. Not only that, we ended up helping 'all' the patients in his bay. They'd ask us for help before pressing the 'won't bother responding' button.
When my uncle was in we didn't leave. Between me, my sister, my dad and a friend, we made sure he wasn't on his own. They can't even be trusted to feed the patients. Not only that, we ended up helping 'all' the patients in his bay. They'd ask us for help before pressing the 'won't bother responding' button.
It may be controversial but I don't think patients should be allowed to take mobile phones into hospital. I had an op last year, came back onto the ward and was dozing on and off. The patient next to me had a mobile ringing every few minutes with a particularly raucous tune that kept waking me. Also she had many friends/relations she had to call and explain what was going on with her and I ended up knowing far more about her bowels than I wished to.
sammy, absolutely right. Add in no mobiles, no plinking away on the laptop either, if you are lying there feeling very ill, where sleep is almost impossible because lights are always on, and the staff are nattering at the nurse station, then surely some consideration is needed.
One last thing and it's a biggie, tell the dingbrains that if a person has a fall, they don't do it to annoy the staff, so damn well pick them up,
we were told if my relative did have a fall, and it was likely, she would have to wait before the effing paramedics were called, so could have been lying on the ward or room for ages.
One last thing and it's a biggie, tell the dingbrains that if a person has a fall, they don't do it to annoy the staff, so damn well pick them up,
we were told if my relative did have a fall, and it was likely, she would have to wait before the effing paramedics were called, so could have been lying on the ward or room for ages.
At hospitals local to me, hospital volunteers do man the hand gel stands at the entrance and also carry bottles. if it looks like anyone is going to not gel, they "helpfully" offer them gel....it works very well. Yes more staff might help but some of it is thought. It doesn't take more staff to think before you speak, to ask patients to text only on their mobiles, to ask relis to observe the two per bed rule and to control their children. Instead of all sitting at the nursing station during the afternoon, how about wandering around and having a bit of a tidy and pick up?
Its really easy to kick staff so here's some good stuff.
The things I remember with gratitude are not around excellent medical care. that should be a given and if its not then there should be big trouble over the failure.
I remember kindly the staff both in and outside the hospital who treated DH and me as grownup adults who could understand stuff and make decisions and who had our own ways of doing things. They didn't see us as "patients" or cases" who needed this or that careplan or who were following this or that model but as people like themselves.
I an grateful to the staff who chatted to my DH about their own lives and what they were going to do on their days off rather than endless "caring chatter"
The ward staff (Queen Alexandra's Hospital renal and colorectal units) operated a named nurse scheme. At handover the outgoing named nurse would go round and say cheerio and tell the patient and relis what they had handed over to the incoming staff and check that they hadn't missed anything. It only took about a minute per bed but was very reassuring. After handover, the new named staff would come round and say hello, introduce themselves if new to the patient and check on how things were going if they knew the patient already...again a minute per bed.
I remember the kindness of staff (including consultants)who took the trouble to phone me after my DH died at home to check that I had everything that I needed.
Much of it I think is attitude...thinking all the time "How would I like to be treated if it was me in the bed?"
Its really easy to kick staff so here's some good stuff.
The things I remember with gratitude are not around excellent medical care. that should be a given and if its not then there should be big trouble over the failure.
I remember kindly the staff both in and outside the hospital who treated DH and me as grownup adults who could understand stuff and make decisions and who had our own ways of doing things. They didn't see us as "patients" or cases" who needed this or that careplan or who were following this or that model but as people like themselves.
I an grateful to the staff who chatted to my DH about their own lives and what they were going to do on their days off rather than endless "caring chatter"
The ward staff (Queen Alexandra's Hospital renal and colorectal units) operated a named nurse scheme. At handover the outgoing named nurse would go round and say cheerio and tell the patient and relis what they had handed over to the incoming staff and check that they hadn't missed anything. It only took about a minute per bed but was very reassuring. After handover, the new named staff would come round and say hello, introduce themselves if new to the patient and check on how things were going if they knew the patient already...again a minute per bed.
I remember the kindness of staff (including consultants)who took the trouble to phone me after my DH died at home to check that I had everything that I needed.
Much of it I think is attitude...thinking all the time "How would I like to be treated if it was me in the bed?"
Either letting nurses get back to more practical nursing or have more people around who can provide more practical assistance. When my gallbladder went infected I had an "accident" and the nurse I spoke to forgot as she was busy and I ended up having to find someone else as I obviously couldn't get back in bed! I had to be quite proactive too in finding someone who could find me things like a towel and a clean gown so I could go and get cleaned up - luckily I had the wherewithall to try and be proactive and could (albeit in pain) go looking for people to ask.
Similarly trying to get someone with the time to listen. I knew there was a problem with a hand catheter thing they had put in and it was so painful when they kept trying to inject stuff into it. In the end I was pretty much at the point that if they didn't take it out then I would - 14 hours later they took it out and I ended up with really painful phlebitis.
Similar issue with doctors, they swarm round you and talk about you and rarely actually to you and don't have time to answer questions etc... Again, trying to get information - I was trying to get some information on medication I was on (whether still to take it etc...) and only got any kind of answer days after I was admitted (and, I am rather shamed to admit, after bursting into tears in sheer pain and frustration about a number of things) when all my notes and consultants are at the same hospital.
It can be worrying with things you hear around you. One lady refused to leave until she had had a scan after the doctor was trying to fob her off with women's pains. She had her appendix taken out shortly after. Similarly another lady had to kick off when they were trying to discharge her despite whoever was doing her scan saying she needed to be kept in an operated on - once they listened she had her operation once a slot came up.
Similarly trying to get someone with the time to listen. I knew there was a problem with a hand catheter thing they had put in and it was so painful when they kept trying to inject stuff into it. In the end I was pretty much at the point that if they didn't take it out then I would - 14 hours later they took it out and I ended up with really painful phlebitis.
Similar issue with doctors, they swarm round you and talk about you and rarely actually to you and don't have time to answer questions etc... Again, trying to get information - I was trying to get some information on medication I was on (whether still to take it etc...) and only got any kind of answer days after I was admitted (and, I am rather shamed to admit, after bursting into tears in sheer pain and frustration about a number of things) when all my notes and consultants are at the same hospital.
It can be worrying with things you hear around you. One lady refused to leave until she had had a scan after the doctor was trying to fob her off with women's pains. She had her appendix taken out shortly after. Similarly another lady had to kick off when they were trying to discharge her despite whoever was doing her scan saying she needed to be kept in an operated on - once they listened she had her operation once a slot came up.
People not using the anti- bacterial hand gels. The actual visiting hours - I appreciate they wish to minimised chaos at feeding times and drug rounds etc, but still, they often do not reflect modern day living.
And they should be firmer with the number of visitors to a bed - can be quite disconcerting to other patients/ visitors when you see someone with 4 or 5 visitors at the same time.
And they should be firmer with the number of visitors to a bed - can be quite disconcerting to other patients/ visitors when you see someone with 4 or 5 visitors at the same time.
i agree with parking - our hospital is big and there are four, yes FOUR, disabled parking spaces at the back of the hospital (where the opa's are) Also, when i go for my rheumy appointments, there is often a big queue of pts waiting to book in, as well as those waiting for a next appt - standing in a queue for 20 mins is *** especially when most of the people at that clinic have trouble walking/standing!
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Bedside TVs need to be got rid of. I was in a ward with an old lady in the bed next to me who was hard of hearing, she had her bedside TV on very loud all the time and refused to use the headphones that are provided. I was ready to smash her TV after a few hours of soap operas and songs of praise.
On that same occasion I was sick down my front due to the morphine they gave me, I told a nurse but they said they had no spare night clothes or even a gown that I could borrow, consequently I had to stay in my stinky, puke covered night clothes for more than 24 hours until clean stuff could be brought from home. There must have been a gown somewhere in the hospital but nobody even tried to find one for me. All wards should have extra bedding, pillows and clothing just in case of such an incident.
On that same occasion I was sick down my front due to the morphine they gave me, I told a nurse but they said they had no spare night clothes or even a gown that I could borrow, consequently I had to stay in my stinky, puke covered night clothes for more than 24 hours until clean stuff could be brought from home. There must have been a gown somewhere in the hospital but nobody even tried to find one for me. All wards should have extra bedding, pillows and clothing just in case of such an incident.
