News1 min ago
What Bugs You When..........?
42 Answers
You go to a hospital appointment or visit a friend / relative on a hospital ward? What needs changing / improving? thanks!!
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As I enter/leave the workplace, having to walk through the crowd of smokers at the hospital entrance, all puffing away to their hearts content directly in front of the 'No Smoking On Hospital Property' signs.
Particularly the expectant mothers who think they look glamorous, heavily pregnant and half dressed, tugging on a bifter.
Particularly the expectant mothers who think they look glamorous, heavily pregnant and half dressed, tugging on a bifter.
Too many visitors at bedsides is my biggest bugbear.
When you have had major surgery you don't need lots of noisy (and/or very young) visitors milling around your bed when they are visiting the patient in the next bed. I had to ask the nurse to intervene once when a toddler thought it would be fun to play with my chest drain that was hooked on the side of my bed.
When you have had major surgery you don't need lots of noisy (and/or very young) visitors milling around your bed when they are visiting the patient in the next bed. I had to ask the nurse to intervene once when a toddler thought it would be fun to play with my chest drain that was hooked on the side of my bed.
what really bugged me when m-i-l was in hospital was during the evening visiting, there was a change over of staff and we were all asked to leave the ward for 15-20 mins while they discussed the patients, some of our visitors had travelled quite a distance in order to visit and this really ate into the visiting time. I appreciate that the staff need to be briefed, but still not happy with how it was conducted.
Availability of someone to answer medical questions. Being told to come at xxx time to see the doctor/specialist nurse/social worker etcet and they are late. Not minutes late, HOURS late. Dirty untidy wards.
The next one is sensitive but I will say it anyway. Where my DH was in hospital, many of the staff were foreign. One and all they were lovely but they used to sit at the nurses station and talk together in their own language. Odd times you would hear the name of a patient but couldn't understand the rest and occasionally they would laugh. When patients and relis are stressed beyond belief you imagine that they are saying all sorts of things. Actually it's the same with the English staff when they are making phone calls or giving handover. You hear your name or the name of your loved one and don't catch the rest....it's natural, your own name stands out in conversation. I would like all handovers or patient discussion that can't happen in the presence of the patient to happen out of earshot.
Last one? When they could do no more for mt DH, we had some honest and helpful conversations about it BUT in the ensuing ward rounds, especially when there were students there, every blooming doctor and specialist began every blooming visit by reiterating that there was no further treatment possible....talk about how to upset the patient and relis again and again. In the end mt DH said "I do not want to (expletive) hear that again. If you need to discuss it (expletive off) and discuss it elsewhere.
I guess it's all about thinking before you speak really.
The next one is sensitive but I will say it anyway. Where my DH was in hospital, many of the staff were foreign. One and all they were lovely but they used to sit at the nurses station and talk together in their own language. Odd times you would hear the name of a patient but couldn't understand the rest and occasionally they would laugh. When patients and relis are stressed beyond belief you imagine that they are saying all sorts of things. Actually it's the same with the English staff when they are making phone calls or giving handover. You hear your name or the name of your loved one and don't catch the rest....it's natural, your own name stands out in conversation. I would like all handovers or patient discussion that can't happen in the presence of the patient to happen out of earshot.
Last one? When they could do no more for mt DH, we had some honest and helpful conversations about it BUT in the ensuing ward rounds, especially when there were students there, every blooming doctor and specialist began every blooming visit by reiterating that there was no further treatment possible....talk about how to upset the patient and relis again and again. In the end mt DH said "I do not want to (expletive) hear that again. If you need to discuss it (expletive off) and discuss it elsewhere.
I guess it's all about thinking before you speak really.
Having spent a number of months in hospital over the past three years, I feel well qualified to comment.
The main one is, without a doubt, the fact that most visitors to hospital do not use the basic cleansing facilities provided. I've just come in from a blood test at a major London teaching hospital and there are about six gel dispensers in reception. I swear that I was the only person to use them in the five minutes I waited in reception. There has been a noticeable improvement in the number of staff who do so at each bedside, in my experience.
Another bugbear is the way that staff empty catheters. Not fun when half of the contents run back into your bladder at about fifteen degrees Celsius lower than it was when it left!
Having to listen while other patients on the ward are being given bad news, or any news for that matter. Some doctors seem to think that pulling the curtain round a bed stops other people being able to hear. Not the case.
Must admit, I find the smokers just so sad. Standing around attached to drips in this weather wearing just a dressing-gown.
Rant over, for now.
The main one is, without a doubt, the fact that most visitors to hospital do not use the basic cleansing facilities provided. I've just come in from a blood test at a major London teaching hospital and there are about six gel dispensers in reception. I swear that I was the only person to use them in the five minutes I waited in reception. There has been a noticeable improvement in the number of staff who do so at each bedside, in my experience.
Another bugbear is the way that staff empty catheters. Not fun when half of the contents run back into your bladder at about fifteen degrees Celsius lower than it was when it left!
Having to listen while other patients on the ward are being given bad news, or any news for that matter. Some doctors seem to think that pulling the curtain round a bed stops other people being able to hear. Not the case.
Must admit, I find the smokers just so sad. Standing around attached to drips in this weather wearing just a dressing-gown.
Rant over, for now.
Many of my gripes have been mentioned and I particularly agree with all woofy said, especially the untidyness and waiting to speak to someone.
To add a couple more...
Ward receptionist...please, at least look up and acknowledge there's someone waiting to speak to you, a nod, a smile, some indication that that you will be with them asap would be polite.
Hand cleansing - There's not a lot of point telling visitors to clean their hands when little effort is put into helping bedridden patients to clean theirs, especially at mealtime.
To add a couple more...
Ward receptionist...please, at least look up and acknowledge there's someone waiting to speak to you, a nod, a smile, some indication that that you will be with them asap would be polite.
Hand cleansing - There's not a lot of point telling visitors to clean their hands when little effort is put into helping bedridden patients to clean theirs, especially at mealtime.
appreciate the time and trouble you guys have took to answer my question!! some very sensitive issues too! This has helped me immensley with my studies!! Thanks guys! handwashing seems to be the most popular bug bear although not really sure how this can be rectified other than a person manning the sink / dispenser! thanks again guys xxx
usually everything, the food, water trays are so far out of reach, the bells are not answered when rung, if it's urgent like the person needs the loo, often ignored. staff stand around chatting whilst the patient is in need of some help.
I sat with a relative day in day out, for several weeks, and all this and more went on. I helped because the staff seemed to be too busy, or non existent.
I sat with a relative day in day out, for several weeks, and all this and more went on. I helped because the staff seemed to be too busy, or non existent.
