General Chat

My mum has been hospitalised yet again, After having treatment at my home with abrilliant outreach team from hospital ivs etc at home on thursday had to be readmitted to a bed due to her INR results (blood clotting). The reason being needing obs for fear of another clot on lung and she has to have antibiotics for cellulitus. Admitted at 10am thursday morn we were told got bed 9pm taken to a single room on a corridor (another single opp) . The corridor is before you gain access to ward no curtains 5 slants of blinds out of 40 left hanging, paint peeling off walls, the lady in the opp single has no curtains at all sink broken and shower.The doors are NOT locked at night she does not have a buzzer and has been told because she is able to walk can go find a nurse if she needs one . I fear for her safety as what happened last week to 98 year old. Have complained to staff only to be told the beds are giving to self carers because buzzer system does not work anyway.Asked to have her back home team are quite happy to treat but have been told she has to stay because they are keeping close eye on her LOL.She sees the staff for drips to be be hung up every 4 hours and heparin injections in tummy, WHAT WOULD YOU DO ? Im going demented with worry. suex .. UPDATE nurses were waiting for me today, mums inrs were 2 and as long as results come back 2 -2.5 she is being discharged tomorrow to the care of the rapid response team at my home. They will continue with inr tests daily and administering iv antibiotics, havent seen anyone from bed managment they would of received letters today but patient liason officier inspecting room tomorrow am, at least at home I will elevate her leg she didnt even have facilities for this.I have been told that I will receive phone call at home with an update as to whether they close the room or not, seems they just want mum out(same as me) to stop me stirring up anymore trouble.I will not let it go maybe I can save some other soul from having to put up with these conditions. Thanks for all the emails and kind messages only 1 more night of no sleep . Mum sends her love to everyone and thankyou. suex

Unless it was life threatening, I would keep asking to take her home. She would be so much more comfortable than in that miserable sounding place. if there is suitable care in place at home, I cannot see why they would object.

Yes I tend to agree with Ann she might be better where you can keep your eye on her. Davex

Thanks Anne I have kept asking but until blood levels are up they refuse even though ive been told they didnt want these side wards active, one of the nurses has even given me name and address to write to because she said they will take more notice of me than there own nursing staff. suex

Can she not discharge herself? Surely the hospital cannot keep her there against her will? I think the GP route might be the best- see if they can intervene on her behalf.

Dee,her GP is a bit lax. Im going to set up appointment with consultant tomorrow only registrars working on weekend.Its the security of the room thats my main worry but wouldnt forgive myself if I took her home and she did have another clot. suex

Thanks for that Dee, At the present time Im angry at the system, mum is such a placid gentle soul and always praising the nurses, I will be fine Im sure and don`t want to ask people to take time off work. suex

Suzy, please dont worry about the clots, i had sadly had 2 DVT's... but whilst i was on Heparin..( due to pregnancy i couldnt have warfarin tablets), i injected myself every day in my tummy with heparin, and was told i was the least likely on earth to have a clot whilst injecting. I just went to the coagulation clinic once a week for monetering of blood levels and that was it.... apart from a very bruised pregnant bump! lol.

Hi Em, mum on wafarin for life has had 4 DVTs and 2 PEs her INRs had dropped below 1 and should be 2.5 so they have doubled dose of wafarin and got her on heparin jabs daily . The rapid response team can give 8 drips daily for the cellutlitus at my home and take the INRs but they are still saying to me in from of mum that she has to stay in because of blood, so shes now worried about it. So glad your well now. suex

sue i sent u email hope u dont mind i had cellulitis in my leg and it was horrible like looby loo says with her hubby my leg swelled up double the size but i had blisters as well yuk it was horrible lol

Sue just a little note to say I hope your Mother gets better soon and is home safe and well can't offer any advice as in Australia but do know what you are going through and send my love and prayers to you both Lara xx

If she's got cellulitis I would leave her where she is as it can get nasty unless its not too bad and the team at home are quite happy. Trouble is, if she discharges herself and runs in to trouble, you may have troubel getting her back in. I would make an appointment sharpish with the Directorate Manager (in charge of whole unit, i.e. Specialised Services) and get him/her to come and look at the state of the room your mother is in! Pam

Thanks all for your replies just been typing some letters to nursing manager etc. The tracking up her leg has now stopped so hopefully responding to iv antibiotics they keep on saying they wont discharge because they need to keep close eye on inr levels. Looby Loo im just like you, mum in lot of pain and because she can get to toilet with stick shes self caring .I assist her with changing, washing etc because she does not like to cause a fuss . I understand the funding problems with the NHS but this room and area leaves a lot to be desired. The rapid response team will accomadate her when she comes home to me for ivs. I am not critisizing the hospital as a whole but this area is old , and not fit to accommadate patients, 5 years ago mum was admitted here with pnemonia in side room but on mian ward no one wore gloves etc and she contracted clostridium and ended up being barrier nursed for 31/2 weeks. suex

Ask for the bed manager to come and keep guard at the ward door! B****y administrators need to 'go back to the floor' to realise what the'bed status' is! Or the chief executive as their salary bonus could probably pay for 8 full time newly qualified nurses. I believe in the NHS - up to a point - that point is where you have departments of managers and their admin. The only other option you have is to have a family member in, in shifts. Or - now this is just a practical though - what about giving your mother one of those air horns that they have at football matches, that should be sufficiently loud for the nursing staff to hear if she needs anything. Actually I am really surprised that there are rooms outside the ward. Even in the oldest hospital I worked in the side rooms are on the corridor immediately inside the ward doors and the corridor opens out into the nightingale ward. Don't lie low though, contact your patient liaison person, bed manager, chief executive and if you must inform these people that you would like to warn as many other people as possible of the security risk this situation poses ('for the public good'). A pair of doors further out than these rooms, with a combi lock won't cost more than a week's salary of the average manager! Let the nurses know that you are doing what you can to help. It won't just be the nursing staff that benefit and all staff will be extremely grateful for the support and drum banging. Patients, relatives and staff unite against the managers! Tra -la! I hope your mum gets good test results through soon. Abigail

hi sue after reading all these replies how about sending a copy of your letters to the WELSH ASS. office they are always telling us how well they are doing on the hospitals and see what there response is hope your mam will soon be home howard

Sue I would contact a national paper like the Sun. They may investigate . It may get bums off seats and action taken. Wishing your mum a speedy recovery Elaine x

Just got back in , unfortunatly couldnt resite canula last night so had to wait for on call dr to attend came this morning so missed last night dose. There are double doors to corridor Abigail no lock and usually blocked open have written to executive of health complaints ,senior nurse manager for block and are going to look up PALS tomorrow. The buzzer system on the wall outside the room is hanging off with unattatched wires. Im afraid our family is very small mum, me 1 cousin 1 aunt both who live away(thats why im always searching on here). When I said to nurse about security of room she answered weve had no trouble yet ! and as soon as a bed comes up on main ward mum can have it . Oh well lets see blood results today and see if I can get her home, leaving the thread soon to return to hospital. suex

Sue, I'm very sorry and angry to read this thread. Contact the PALS service if the hospital has one and go armed with a list of your grievances. I had problems similar to this when my father was in hospital last year. Although PALS don't resolve the problem for you they make sure that you are seen by the right people and will move heaven and earth to make sure that you don't take your complaints any further, i.e. outside the hospital. In my Dad's case an improvement was made within 24 hours, alas it was too late for him but I'm sure that if I had made my complaints to PALS earlier then his last days would have been more comfortable. Instead I was pushed from pillar to post with nobody accepting responsibility for the conditions until PALS intervened. Make an appointment to see them as soon as possible. I hope everything gets sorted out for you. Regards. Marion

Marion, im sorry to hear about your dad, and yes im going to chase it all up tomorrow everything closes down on weekends. Take care suex

Sue, I am so sorry your mum is ill and in such a bad room. I am on Warfrin for life and still managed to get P.E.s. I think she needs to be in hospital for the heparin injections, I did. I hope you can get something done about the dreadful conditions. Positive thoughts to you and Mum. Love Bridget x