Soiled Pyjamas.

[Tilly2]

My dad has been in hospital for two weeks and for the first week and a half was wearing hospital gowns and pyjamas. Twice, this week, he was wearing his own pyjamas.
When I went today, he was back to wearing just a gown. As i left it occured to me that his own pyjamas might need washing so I went to his bedside cupboard and found them, via the smell, stuffed inside a plastic bag.

I brought them home, donned some rubber gloves and put them in the washing machine along with loads of disinfectant and biological powder.

Is it common practice to leave soiled nightwear in bedside cabinets? Should I complain? It can't be right, surely.

Any experience of this anyone?

[gness]

That's what happened to me, Prudie....my mother had become what Rowan told me was a .....smearer...the nightie was shocking.........and unbagged.

But there must be a more hygienic way of dealing with this.

[corylus]

Not acceptable Tilly, you should've been told about this by the ward staff. I think a letter of complaint to the hospital ward is called for, a copy of which will be forwarded to the Chief Executive as a rule and questions will be asked.

At least that's what happens in my local NHS Hospital.

[Psybbo]

Tambo, how awful

[gness]

I took them to the inquest, Tilly....the coroner changed her original opinion and gave a more satisfactory verdict.

[pixie373]

That's awful, tambo. I think you should speak to them, Tilly. Take in some laundry bags, maybe. You can get those red dissolvable bags that go straight into the machine.

[anneasquith]

I would never visit a patient now without antibacterial spray, I wash down all the surfaces. as a patient recently my spray was on show for everyone to see MRSA x2 is not pleasant. :(

[Grandma_Yiddo]

The ward I used to work on before my early retirement was well run. If a patient soiled their pyjamas or nightie I always sluiced them out in cold water and then put them in a plastic bag in the patients locker. The patients relatives nearly always looked for dirty washing when they visited. Occasionally I took patients washing home and laundered it for them. We don't all stuff it in a locker and forget about it.

[tonyav]

I find this very difficult to take in in this day and age, what a very sad state the NHS is in.

[ladyalex]

It's very upsetting, but completely common practice to get all belongings back after a stay in hospital, even if the stay ends sadly.
Better communication with relatives would, to say the least, ease the situation considerably.

[nungate]

It's quite good stuff Tilly. I decided to start using it because as she is ageing my mum has been having little accidents and it helps to keep things nice and clean as it isn't always possible to boil/wash these days

[tamborine]

It was thoughtless but private property has to be returned to n.o.k. rules are rules!

[Tilly2]

i shall ask to speak to the matron when I go tomorrow. Then, I will send a letter to the hospital manager. This is not good enough. I am seething.

[pixie373]

Maybe, but in that situation, they could have given you the choice, Tambo. That just seems heartless.

[gness]

What Grandma Yiddo says is what used to happen in the days of nursing care and is very acceptable....and doing the laundry for a patient is above the call of duty....but nurses did it....once....

Not rinsed and bagged is not acceptable...especially if the relatives can only visit every few days....

It's something that shouldn't still be happening and needs to be addressed properly.

[corylus]

Quite right Tilly, this is just not good enough, (and a health hazard) send your letter to the Ward Sister, it will get forwarded to the CEO who should reply to you within days.

If more of us pointed out these short-comings in the NHS and reported them things might just improve! Said she ex-NHS staff and serial complainer!

[tamborine]

OHs gold teeth werent returned, lol

[Ric.ror]

Before my step father died we would regularly find his dirty nightwear in a bag in his locker
After about a week they told us the bags used could be popped straight into the machine and the plastic would wash away

[gness]

I received a phone call a few days after MrG's death saying they had found his slippers...did I want them....☺

But...can you imagine.....if they don't do that,six months down the line a sad family is in the local paper saying their beloved Dad's/Husband's/Son's slippers had been kept by the hospital and they wanted compensation for the sentimental value.....x

[Tilly2]

Thank you all. I can't choose a best answer, you have all been so helpful and supportive. I am going to kick up a stink about this, pardon the pun. It is not acceptable.

What about people who have no visitors? What happens then?

[Tilly2]

.......and I am still seething!