I was waiting on the ward today as the nurses were dealing with Mum when I arrived. While I was there I heard several conversations about discharging people. It sounds as if the ward has a lot of dealings with people who do not feel their LOs are safe to discharge home. The attitude seems to be 'they have been declared medically fit and assessed by OT/physio/SW, so they are going home whether you like it or not'! I can understand that they are under a lot of pressure to get the beds emptied but there did not seem to be shred of compassion for the carers
Not a shred of compassion for the patients, either, when you think about it Slugsta - to know there are concerns about safety and to dismiss them in that manner is so wrong. Makes my blood boil
And its not just lacking in compassion - though that is bad enough. Its an approach that is totally lacking in common sense. To ignore the families concerns, to dismiss worries about safety, to discharge without ensuring that the correct support is there, must surely lead to so many failed discharges and occasions where the discharge is rapidly followed by a crisis, serious ilness/accident or similar? Which must cost more and worsen the issue of bed shortages? So short sighted, stupid - and so wasteful of the limited funds available in the long term. Its that sticking plaster approach that benefits no one - I just don't understand it
Good for you contacting PALs - fingers crossed that they are of some use - and yes, good idea to throw the BI meeting and request for the discharge policy at them when they raise the issue of discharge next. I am just so sorry, thinking of the stress and upset this must be causing you, Slugsta - you must be so exhausted, hun xxxx
Poor you Spamar - I really hope you are feeling better today. I do sympathise, because when you feel like you are 'up to it', it is all too easy to do too much, thinking that it wil be fine - thats what I did at the weekend
I'm going to try and listen to the wise owls on here, and pace myself a bit more (where I can) and hopefully, you will now do the same xxxx
The major issue with work is that I've ended up working with so many college/university groups that everything has to be packed into academic term times. Which means that at the moment, I am totally flat out, and going way over my hours just can't be avoided. It will be a different story in term breaks - including the longer Summer break - when I will be able to take back a lot of hours. However, dealing with 'now' is proving to be hard, in terms of the impact on the old aches and pains leaving me too uncomfortable to enjoy the time I do have off. Its actually one of the things discused in my 1-1, on Monday, and - as always seems to be the case - my boss was really supportive, in fact SHE brought up the subject as she was concerned. I'm missing next months trip to S Wales, and she is getting IT to sort Skype on my laptop, so that at least some meetings can be done that way, saving me the travelling. She also told me to order a wheeled case of some sort, to carry things like the craft/art supplies, the heavy files, workbooks, paperwork and my laptop around in, (I often have to haul that lot when I am out on projects) and to get it out of my 'office equipment budget' - I hadn't even thought of something like that, but its a cracking idea and something I intend to sort today.
Yesterday was another long one - 2 back to back project sessions, morning and afternoon. Left the house at 8.30am, got home 4.30 pm, with an hours necessary admin both before leaving and when I got back. A fairly long drive there and back, coupled with hauling the gear round, on my feet all day and having to do the inevitable 'chase the paperwork' dance, which seems to be a feature of every project, and something my fellow coordinators also have big problems with on a regular basis! Lovely, lovely groups to work with, but the afternoon group were - well, lets say 'lively' - so very much on my toes with them, particularly as there should have been support workers there with a couple of the group, but they were unfortunately off sick, leaving me short handed. By the end of the day I had the worst headache that I can remember having in a very long time, and my back and neck were screaming at me. I did only what was necessary when I got home - and I was in bed, with hot water bottles for my back and pain killers for my head, by just before 9pm last night. Head a lot better this morning, but still achey back, hip and neck, so only doing what I absolutely have to today - which unfortunately includes monthly reports, expenses, booking some A/L (before I lose it), 3 or 4 other essential admin chores, and (having finally, after 5 weeks, got all the paperwork I need back from the college) inputting all that data into the system. Tomorrow, I've organised a trip out in the morning for one of my groups (which thankfully, leaves me with less driving as its closer than the college) followed by an (I hope) fairly brief meeting in the afternoon - and I'm hoping that IF I manage to plough through all the admin today, I will then be able to knock off work for the weekend, earlier than usual tomorrow afternoon. I'm also hoping to take a half day on Monday - again, if I sort the admin today!
Hope you all have a good day, love to all xxxx