Mum has been in hoepital for 2 weeks now and almost every day seems to bring a new example of neglect and incompetence. Firstly she was admitted to a side ward because her care home had a couple of cases of noro virus ( she tested clear). Whilst there she was left sitting in a chair. Food and drink was brought and simply removed uneaten. She has a swallowing disorder and drinks have to be thickened. They put so much stuff in that it was impossible to drink her tea. It was the texture of thick custard. She became so dehydrated she nearly died. I got noro (no doubt from the home) and had 3 days unable to visit. In that time she went downhill fast. When I got there and insisted they put up a drip to rehydrate her it took over 6 hours to get this prescribed and fixed. Next day they were concerned about her and asked for a doctor to review her. It was the weekend. The message came back in my presence that they were "too busy"!
After much complaining by me they got Mum moved to a proper medical ward, where they are sorting out the infected mouth, throat and oesophagus which are themselves the result of allergy to the tablets she was put on following her hip operation 8 weeks ago.However having been left slumped in a very uncomfortable position in a chair for 3 days, legs down and not elevated as recommended by the physiotherapist and advised by me to the hospital, Mum now has very swollen painful legs and can hardly move without screaming in agony. On Friday the doctor said she would never get out of bed again and the best we could hope for was to get her moved to a nursing home for such time as she has left. Not long as far as he was concerned. He saw little point in a physiotherapist trying to do anything but said they could try. They did and got Mum out of bed into a chair. However teh staff were too busy to get her back again and there was nothing on which she could elevate her legs. Result - agonising pain and back in bed.
Today there were just 2 nurses copng with 15 patients half of whom are bedfast and unable to do anything for themselves. I have found myself having to go to feed Mum at lunch and tea or she would have nothing to eat or drink. Staff are too busy to help all of them. They care enough and are distressed. They just do not have enough people to do what is needed. I even have to fill in the chart which monitors what Mum eats and drinks! Today they asked me to give her some of her medicine! The lady in the next bed had dressings all over her body which need changing daily. The only way this happens is for her husband and sometimes her son to come in every day for about 3 hours to do it. The tea trolley did not come this afternoon. Mum is still short of liquids. I ended up going to the Costa Coffee shop in the hospital and buying her a cup of tea which she drank thirstily.
Tonight I overheard the nurses talking. They could not get enough night cover. It looks as if one nurse will be responsible for 2 wards, 30 people all together. There will be times when no one is on one of the wards to hear buzzers or calls for help.
Mum has had a catheter fixed up. She was extremely distressed yesterday and obviously in pain. Three times i went to beg a nurse to come and look. Three times I was told it was all in her mind and that it was the dementia. Eventually I saw wetness and tried again. They came at last. The catheter tube had a blockage. When Mum was trying to pass water she could not as the tube was not taking any more! The same thing happened today and it took an hour to get a nurse to look. I then had to be taught how to deal with it if it blocked again! What will happen tonight if it goes wrong is too dreadful to contemplate.
I also found that Mum had been put on diclofenac, one of the strongest anti inflammatory drugs that there is, despite wearing an allergy bracelet which says she is allergic to all anti inflammatory drugs! They had noticed and taken her off them but why on earth did they start them?
Is this what it has come to in the NHS? What happens to those with no relatives? I suppose they just die in pain and distress with no one to complain afterwards. I am signing up as a volunteer hospital visitor when Mum is out. Maybe I can save some poor soul that fate.
Sorry this is long. I had to get it all off my chest. I am so angry.
Jan
After much complaining by me they got Mum moved to a proper medical ward, where they are sorting out the infected mouth, throat and oesophagus which are themselves the result of allergy to the tablets she was put on following her hip operation 8 weeks ago.However having been left slumped in a very uncomfortable position in a chair for 3 days, legs down and not elevated as recommended by the physiotherapist and advised by me to the hospital, Mum now has very swollen painful legs and can hardly move without screaming in agony. On Friday the doctor said she would never get out of bed again and the best we could hope for was to get her moved to a nursing home for such time as she has left. Not long as far as he was concerned. He saw little point in a physiotherapist trying to do anything but said they could try. They did and got Mum out of bed into a chair. However teh staff were too busy to get her back again and there was nothing on which she could elevate her legs. Result - agonising pain and back in bed.
Today there were just 2 nurses copng with 15 patients half of whom are bedfast and unable to do anything for themselves. I have found myself having to go to feed Mum at lunch and tea or she would have nothing to eat or drink. Staff are too busy to help all of them. They care enough and are distressed. They just do not have enough people to do what is needed. I even have to fill in the chart which monitors what Mum eats and drinks! Today they asked me to give her some of her medicine! The lady in the next bed had dressings all over her body which need changing daily. The only way this happens is for her husband and sometimes her son to come in every day for about 3 hours to do it. The tea trolley did not come this afternoon. Mum is still short of liquids. I ended up going to the Costa Coffee shop in the hospital and buying her a cup of tea which she drank thirstily.
Tonight I overheard the nurses talking. They could not get enough night cover. It looks as if one nurse will be responsible for 2 wards, 30 people all together. There will be times when no one is on one of the wards to hear buzzers or calls for help.
Mum has had a catheter fixed up. She was extremely distressed yesterday and obviously in pain. Three times i went to beg a nurse to come and look. Three times I was told it was all in her mind and that it was the dementia. Eventually I saw wetness and tried again. They came at last. The catheter tube had a blockage. When Mum was trying to pass water she could not as the tube was not taking any more! The same thing happened today and it took an hour to get a nurse to look. I then had to be taught how to deal with it if it blocked again! What will happen tonight if it goes wrong is too dreadful to contemplate.
I also found that Mum had been put on diclofenac, one of the strongest anti inflammatory drugs that there is, despite wearing an allergy bracelet which says she is allergic to all anti inflammatory drugs! They had noticed and taken her off them but why on earth did they start them?
Is this what it has come to in the NHS? What happens to those with no relatives? I suppose they just die in pain and distress with no one to complain afterwards. I am signing up as a volunteer hospital visitor when Mum is out. Maybe I can save some poor soul that fate.
Sorry this is long. I had to get it all off my chest. I am so angry.
Jan