District Nurses

byrnedjp

Registered User
Mar 21, 2013
168
0
London
My Uncle , who i care for requires a District Nurse to visit everyday. 385 times every single day of the year. The first 2 years they would arrive any time between 9 and 2 - obviously this became intolerable despite repeated attempts at asking for a "constant" timing. I finally got the head of nursing to visit me - with help from the mental health team, social services and my Uncles gp. She accepted that such random timings were unacceptable and put in place a process which requires nurses calling me between 8.45 and 9am with details of their visit - between 9 and 11 each day.
It is still random, erratic and prone to lapse on regular occasion - im fed up with emailing my concerns to the head of nursing - who simply replies with "we shall endeavour to implement our timings as per our agreement" ..........blah blah blah

This is effecting our everyday lives here and its unacceptable - every single day is guesswork for me

Anyone?
 

sistermillicent

Registered User
Jan 30, 2009
2,949
0
I have a number of friends who are district nurses and I know they do their best to get to people at certain times but they have some who have to take priority timewise like diabetics and while they are on visits unpredictable things can happen. Their workload varies from one day to another. They have suffered terrible cuts in staff over the last few years and changes in where they are located and how they run their days so I reckon they are probably doing their best. .
Is there any way you can employ a carer or a private nurse?
 

Kjn

Registered User
Jul 27, 2013
5,833
0
I worked for a gp and use to open up and reconnect DNS answer phone when I logged phones to day link from night answer phone and the amt of new messages daily.
I'd agree to say could you get someone like a carer instead as DNS tend to be pulled elsewhere than regular patients I'm afraid.
 

byrnedjp

Registered User
Mar 21, 2013
168
0
London
i have no problems with the nurses who attend - i understand they have a difficult job- and it changes daily - i have a process in place - agreed by the senior nurse - which is at best adequate - at worst abysmal - its been discussed - i doesnt work - what do i do?
 

Kjn

Registered User
Jul 27, 2013
5,833
0
Does any of it work tbh ? :confused:
I do feel for you, I have no answer . I wish I had .
 

jeany123

Registered User
Mar 24, 2012
19,034
0
74
Durham
The DN visits my husband once or twice a week to change dressings, take blood and. Get a urine sample, they come any time from 8.30 to 4 I have never thought there was anything wrong with this, I just thought they got their list of visits and worked their way through them , I am just so pleased that they come out to my husband and I haven't to try and get him to the doctors, I can imagine it tying if you both want to go out but on them days could you arrange to take him to a appointment with the nurse at the surgery, then you can arrange for a suitable time ,


Sent from my iPhone using Talking Point
 

byrnedjp

Registered User
Mar 21, 2013
168
0
London
tbh No -it doesnt work
4 days without an issue is the most i get

Its awful and despite assurances from senior staff it continues
 

byrnedjp

Registered User
Mar 21, 2013
168
0
London
if he has an appointment i take his medication with me - and i cancel the nurse - its the safest way of getting things done.
Its really poor - and i have no reservations in saying so - this is my point - he needs a daily nurse and its just not acceptable what he gets
 

Kjn

Registered User
Jul 27, 2013
5,833
0
DNS firstly visit just out of hospital patients, severe cases, needs etc, they have to prioritise. I'm sorry you feel as you do but I think senior staff unless amongst (I know head of a dept who deals with spreadsheets , etc) are not now connected with the team on hand.
Do you have to have a DN ?
 

Jessbow

Registered User
Mar 1, 2013
5,678
0
Midlands
Can I ask what the nurse actually does everyday? Could a carer do it?

Is it time critical for the patient, or just inconvenient for you?
 

sistermillicent

Registered User
Jan 30, 2009
2,949
0
You are probably going to get nowhere with your emails and phone calls unless you make an official complaint about the nurses, so then they can be disciplined.

As a nurse myself I am sometimes so run off my feet I dont have time to get my first cup of coffee of the day until 3pm after an 8am start. I can't tell you which days will be like that, they just happen.
A district nurse probably has a greater work load than me.

I strongly suggest you ask for a reassessment of needs from Social Services or the cpn and say the current system isn't working.
 

Kevinl

Registered User
Aug 24, 2013
6,050
0
Salford
I get hacked off when I turn up at the doctors and get seen 20 minutes late, then I remember that the people in front who've caused the delay might be a pregnant 14 year old who doesn't know how she'll tell her parents or an old lady who couldn't get undressed and redressed as fast as the appointment allows for.
A professional health carer should take however long it takes to do the job properly, so yes sometimes they'll run late but you don't know what they've been dealing with before you.
I agree it's annoying but would you like the doctor to kick you out before you've finished because your time was up?
If anything is at fault it's the system that gives me 12 minutes with the doctor, my wife has AZ, 12 minutes it takes her 2 of them to walk down the corridor to the room then 5 more before the doctor catches on because it's a different doctor every time and they haven't read the notes.
I understand your frustration but it's the NHS and we're dealing with human beings not M&S where we're flogging you frocks and pants, there is a difference.
K
PS I don't work for the NHS
 

byrnedjp

Registered User
Mar 21, 2013
168
0
London
Ive tried official complaints before - they go nowhere. sad but true

Most of the Nurses who visit are Professional and Polite - some arent - sad but true.

I was visited by the head of nursing who agreed that random timings of visits were unacceptable and put a process in place to make things easier. This sadly isnt working and makes everyday life as a carer v difficult.

Its enough to care for someone 24/7 without guessing what time my day can start - 365 times a year.

Just sayin..........
 

Sammyjo1

Registered User
Jul 8, 2014
193
0
I can see how difficult it is for you not knowing but also can see how difficult it must be to arrange all the appointments for the nurses and fitting in all the priorities and other factors.

Would it be of any use to try and agree an arrangement whereby they let you know at the start of the day approximately what time they will arrive that day?
 

Cat27

Registered User
Feb 27, 2015
13,057
0
Merseyside
I used to find it frustrating waiting for the DNs when mum was ill until she was very poorly one day & the nurse just stayed with mum for ages.
She told me that her colleagues would pick up her visits on top of their own as she needed to be with mum.
Also on the day she died two nurses were with us for about 4 hours which caused havoc for the other nurses.

The nurses have a call sheet but if someone is ill etc then it's rejigged.
 

Spamar

Registered User
Oct 5, 2013
7,723
0
Suffolk
I feel for you. I was fed up with it and our DN visits only lasted a month. Also made easier the daycare days, cos daycare and DN had the same base ( local cottage hospital) so they could just pop in and do his dressings.
It was a salutary reminder of how tied we might be if we had daily Carers!
 

byrnedjp

Registered User
Mar 21, 2013
168
0
London
Enough

Had a very belligerent call today from the Head of Nursing regarding the process that she herself had put in place - a phone call between 8.45 and 9am informing me of the arrival of a nurse - apparently this is no longer workable as my Uncles GP finds it an issue for the nurses to call - the same GP that is awol whenever i have an issue regarding my Uncle

Ive had enough - 2 years i spent guessing when the nurse would arrive - 9am one day 2pm the next - Head of Nursing comes to see me - no problem - not an unreasonable request - Nurse will call you daily between 8.45 and 9.Total empathy and a real effort to help with my daily plight.

All of a sudden - belligerent , confrontational phone call today from the same woman
Im at a loss.........................
 

henfenywfach

Registered User
May 23, 2013
332
0
rct
Enough

Had a very belligerent call today from the Head of Nursing regarding the process that she herself had put in place - a phone call between 8.45 and 9am informing me of the arrival of a nurse - apparently this is no longer workable as my Uncles GP finds it an issue for the nurses to call - the same GP that is awol whenever i have an issue regarding my Uncle

Ive had enough - 2 years i spent guessing when the nurse would arrive - 9am one day 2pm the next - Head of Nursing comes to see me - no problem - not an unreasonable request - Nurse will call you daily between 8.45 and 9.Total empathy and a real effort to help with my daily plight.

All of a sudden - belligerent , confrontational phone call today from the same woman
Im at a loss.........................

Hi!

I've had the same treatment in relation to dns.
I am my dad's carer and he has dementia and has been my mum's carer for years! She has spine probe and depression.

They were asked to come to supervise dad and insulin as my mum wasn't well enough to do so.
You would've swarn we had ask for something that was impossible.

The odd one or two were ok..but the rest were unprofessional and judgemental.
I had to take my mum to gps and my dad was early onset and quote independent. We'd arranged a key safe for insulin box and made sure that only they would have access to it. The dn turned up and said how do I know you haven't had it, ? Then left him with no insulin to ring at 1pm to see if he'd had it. I rang to see if he was ok..He said I've had no insulin..I was absolutely livid.

One other said I don't know what I'm doing her he looks ok!

my mum rang the sister and she wiped the floor with my mum. I took the phone and the sister said we'll how does she cope with him then??
I told them clearly what we expected which wasn't really much just their jobs.

I know the dns are short staff and under pressure and there are really good dns out there..don't keep telling the patients we re understaffed..or rushed off our feet etc...They have enough worries of their own.
My folks now are in need of help and won't ask for it due to the bad experiences..that is so wrong.

Why is it such a fight to get help ??
The reason why the nhs and our hospitals are bursting is because care in the community and social care isn't coping and in crisis..
Why don't other people without a dementia diagnosis get treated like this???

Just wanted you to hear our story
Best wishes
 

byrnedjp

Registered User
Mar 21, 2013
168
0
London
To be honest any "outside" care ive used or had to use with regard to my uncle has been poor, from respite to district nursing.

You have to scream and shout for help and when you get it there is a "take it or leave it" attitude, its too random and uncoordinated. It would help if the Doctors, District Nurses, Social Services, Mental Health Teams etc spoke to each other , but they dont.

Take it or leave it and carry on as best you can and make a formal complaint every 6 months - that about sums it up