Read this.....and be warned.!!!!!!!

[handyjack]

Our local hospital has protected mealtimes, where relatives and visitors are/were not allowed. Some dementia patients were left to feed themselves (when some could not). Meals were taken away, with "Oh I see your not hungry today." comments and similar with drinks. They now have volunteers who go in specifically at mealtimes to help
One resident from our home was taken into hospital. The doctor diagnosed "dehydration" The resident was kept in hospital for one week then returned to our home. Within an hour the resident had collapsed and was taken back. Another doctor diagnosed "dehydration." (the residents discharge notes were sent back with her too, but obviously the doctor was too busy to read these)
How can someone be diagnosed without running tests is beyond me. Turned out the resident had suffered a TIA and also had a a UTI. Neither of which were picked up by the medical staff at the first time of admission.

 

[jeany123]

When our loved ones go into hospital we are told "they are in the best place " but from my own experience and reading on here this is far from the truth

 

[flowerpot]

The hospital where my Dad was had protected meal times too. It makes you wonder who the protection is for The whole thing makes me so mad It's a disgrace the way elderly people are treated in hospitals.

 

[milomia]

Quick update

Dad is back in the same Hospital, still waiting to be seen by psych..???? But they are aware of what we are implying happened to him....all of a sudden the terminology has changed....asking how he was this morning I was told he had been a bit "agitated" when they had tried to wash him ( still just dirtying himself all over )......"oh, agitated, I said , so not trying to punch and kick you and swearing"...."Er, well yes he was, and we were unable to attend to him"....Strange I said, on the other ward the nurses described that as downright violent......is this a new thing of playing it down then???...I will swing for someone tomorrow...watch this space.

 

[Onlyme]

Dad is back in the same Hospital, still waiting to be seen by psych..???? But they are aware of what we are implying happened to him....all of a sudden the terminology has changed....asking how he was this morning I was told he had been a bit "agitated" when they had tried to wash him ( still just dirtying himself all over )......"oh, agitated, I said , so not trying to punch and kick you and swearing"...."Er, well yes he was, and we were unable to attend to him"....Strange I said, on the other ward the nurses described that as downright violent......is this a new thing of playing it down then???...I will swing for someone tomorrow...watch this space.

This sounds like they are now using proper dementia termswhich seem to be used for those suffering. Agitated usually means that Mum is screaming fit to bust. The staff will leave her 10 minutes and then try again to sort out her personal needs. She is double incontinent and is high risk for bed sores.

I really hope your Dad gets the care he needs and that you manage to get an answer to what the hell went on.

 

[Taz]

I wish I had a pound for every time, over the past three months or so, since Dad broke his hips that I had been told that what had happened to him after going into hospital 'was an isolated incident.....' I would be wealthy now.
Your description is very similar to what happened to Dad.......no-one seems to care, not even PALS at our hospital......so we fight on to get answers but it's like getting blood out of a stone.
Shocking

 

[Witzend]

When our loved ones go into hospital we are told "they are in the best place " but from my own experience and reading on here this is far from the truth

Just to give the other side, my mother broke her hip a couple of years ago and went into an ordinary orthopaedic ward. I was very concerned since her dementia was pretty bad by then (she was over 90) and could be stroppy to say the least. However the staff were fantastic with her and she made a good and pretty rapid recovery.

 

[milomia]

taking this all the way folks

This has effected my health more than I at first realised...can't sleep and can't eat...what happened to my Dad is flashing through my mind constantly....nightmare.
We will see what and if SS are going to do about things tomorrow...we are going to PALS too...we need to talk to the Psych team to ask for some guidance to get him assessed properly...then we will be hitting the Papers...and Mr Cameron will be hearing from us too....This is everything that is wrong with this country...the NHS, and people who "at the top" will not be having a single nights stay in an NHS ward in their lives, so how the hell would they know what it's like. We trusted them we thought they knew what they were doing.....they have fallen so short of the mark it is scary...and it is our DAD....they are going to have to revise the way they "care" ( and I use that term loosely) for the Elderly and especially Dementia pateints in our Hospitals. Remember..." where you are, I once was....where I am, you will be"..Lets see what my very strong Sister and I can achieve...we don't work, we have good communication skills, we have been in Sales and Promotions all our lives ...and hey what the hell...they think they can do this to our beloved Parents....lets fight back a bit and see where it gets us...I'm not adverse to speaking my mind and upsetting people........you might hear about me in Parliamant yet.

 

[Magsie]

Good luck today - I'll be thinking of you and supporting you all the way.

Magsie

 

[sad girl]

Milomia - WOW what a catalogue of events you and your poor dad have suffered....isn't it disgusting the way the elderly are treated by professional people!

I am so glad you have the strength and fight in you to go all the way to the papers and No.10. I wish you and your sister lots of luck and really hope you get the outrageous treatment brought to ahead.

I am still a believer that nurses don't really need a degree to start their training, they need compassion and empathy which sadly is lacking.

Good luck and give em hell

 

[jeany123]

I don't want to upset anyone, but I think the compassion and caring went out of nursing when hospitals started using agencies for some of their staff

 

[Chemmy]

I think there's a whole pool of talent out there - capable, bright and compassionate youngsters, who maybe aren't up to degree level academically or simply don't want to go on to uni, but are over-qualified for a carer's role.

Whoever did away with the State Enrolled Nurse qualification should hang his/her head in shame.

 

[handyjack]

What an excellent point Chemmy. I for one would like to know who decided that nurses now have to sit a degree course. What purpose does it serve? Not much in my estimation, mind you from what I see in the NHS these days and to a certain extent in care/ nursing homes, filling in form after form is becoming a bigger (and more time consuming) part of the job. Any part of the job spent filling in ridiculous forms, is time that isn't spent caring or looking after patients/ residents.
Perhaps it's time for the government to stop setting targets. We in the caring professions can't and shouldn't be driven by some meaningless target. Before we know it, care home staff will get 3 minutes to toilet each resident. (knowing full well it takes Alf, or Vera 5 minutes to walk there)
Targets should be set fr automated machinery, not human beings. We and the people who depend on us daily, are individuals, and therefore shouldn't be encumbered with targets for almost everything we do. The way it's going, it won't be long until residents too have targets. Bert will have to eat his dinner in 5 minutes and Lily's now only got 2 minutes for her pudding. (yeah right)

 

[susanne1964]

Milomia: I am so so sorry to hear of your dad's treatment. I was advised a while ago now that "He who shouts. shouts loudest" and believe me I have shouted I can only say that you need to contact every person dealing with your dad including CPN'S, Doctors, Care workers just shout and shout. I wish you all the very best and certainly will watch your post

take care
Sue

 

[Witzend]

What an excellent point Chemmy. I for one would like to know who decided that nurses now have to sit a degree course.

Didn't the main nursing body (forget the name) themselves push for it? Thought nursing with a degree would carry more status.

I do agree about SENs. There is a big gap where they used to be.

 

[Loopiloo]

Have just read this thread and would like to comment, but too late now. Am writing this short post so that I can subscribe to the thread and be notified, and will write later. My husband was in two acute hospitals, three weeks in each, and his dementia swiftly deteriorated. I myself am three weeks out of hospital and saw things which shocked me, to put it mildly.

Loo

 

[jeany123]

I don't want to upset anyone, but I think the compassion and caring went out of nursing when hospitals started using agencies for some of their staff

I say this because in the 70s I worked for 10 years in a hospital for the mentally handicapped, It used to have wards for children ,teenagers and young adults and the elderly.I used to work nights and most of the staff were very caring and put themselves out to look after the patients and treat them as they would their own family they did a lot of extra things to help ,then the hospital started to use agency nurses who did the bare essentials were not there long enough to get to know anyone and told the usual staff that they could get into trouble for doing things like making a cup of tea for someone who couldn't sleep or helping someone to the toilet on your own or changing a wet bed when there was supposed to be 2 to do it, if the other staff were on their breaks or while waiting for other staff to help , This meant that patients were left uncomfortable for longer. We started having to think before we did anything and all the spontanious care and love that previously went into our work seemed to disappear .

 

[Nannybus]

My daughter started the Project 2000 Nursing Degree Course some years ago. Despite having 10 'O' Levels, she was not deemed bright enough for the course, unless she did some remedial classes. Her confidence was shattered and she dropped out after a year.

During that time she was seconded to different hospitals, but she said all they did was sit behind the reception desk and eat chocolate. There did not seem to be 'hands on' training.

She became a carer working harder than a nurse, but for a quarter of the pay.

 

[jeany123]

My daughter started the Project 2000 Nursing Degree Course some years ago. Despite having 10 'O' Levels, she was not deemed bright enough for the course, unless she did some remedial classes. Her confidence was shattered and she dropped out after a year.

During that time she was seconded to different hospitals, but she said all they did was sit behind the reception desk and eat chocolate. There did not seem to be 'hands on' training.

She became a carer working harder than a nurse, but for a quarter of the pay.

That is awful it must have been very disheartening for her, the criteria and training for nurses should be investigated I dread to think how many kind, caring ,willing and intelligent young people have been put off the job they really want to do by stupid rules.

Jeany x

 

[Grannie G]

My daughter started the Project 2000 Nursing Degree Course some years ago. Despite having 10 'O' Levels, she was not deemed bright enough for the course, unless she did some remedial classes. Her confidence was shattered and she dropped out after a year.

During that time she was seconded to different hospitals, but she said all they did was sit behind the reception desk and eat chocolate. There did not seem to be 'hands on' training.

She became a carer working harder than a nurse, but for a quarter of the pay.

This post should be pasted on the walls of the NHS HQ. What a disgrace.