I don't know about other parts of the country but certainly around here patients seem to be discharged from hospital quickly. In many ways this is good. We all prefer to be in our own homes,you recover better are more comfortable and avoid picking up those hospital bugs!
I know of three cases in last few weeks who were discharged too soon.
My friend's mum, aged 86 had a mastectomy. I could scarcely believe it when I heard it was as a day patient. I was a day patient for my lumpectomy, and was glad I was. I would not have wanted a night in hospital My surgery was not as extreme, and I was in my early 60's not mid 80's.
To make matters worse, when my friend's sister went to collect her mum she had been slightly sick after food, so they wanted to keep an eye on her. By the time it was decided that she was fine to go home, there were no doctors to sign. She had to stay in overnight. On the chair on which she had been sitting since coming back from recovery, no bed available. Her DD went ballistic, threatened to take her mother home if she was expected to spend the night on a chair, and eventually a bed was found. She went home the next day with drains and tubes still attached.
My SIL's dad (75) had surgery for prostate cancer and despite being told he would be in for 3 or 4 days, he was discharged the following day. With catheter in place , extra bags, and no real instructions on how to look after this. He and his wife were in tears that first night.
My OH's golfing friend (72) had varicose vein surgery last week. Despite being kept waiting 8 hours before her op, so last on the list, and still bleeding, she was sent home that night. They were told to remove the bandages 3 day later in the bath. They have no bath.
It just seems as if a lot of the after care which nurses or HCA's would do in hospital is now being left for patients and their families to do.
Two of those cases were York and one was Hull.
When I had my first baby I stayed in hospital for 9 days, although we were encouraged to get up after 6 hours, which previous generations were not. It was far too long and at 21 I felt as though I had been sent to prison! The 48 hour stays after babies 2 and 3 seemed perfect to me.
Now it is exceptional to stay in hospital much longer than 6 hours after the birth, unless there are problems with mother or baby. This means new mums get far less rest, in my opinion.
I know of three cases in last few weeks who were discharged too soon.
My friend's mum, aged 86 had a mastectomy. I could scarcely believe it when I heard it was as a day patient. I was a day patient for my lumpectomy, and was glad I was. I would not have wanted a night in hospital My surgery was not as extreme, and I was in my early 60's not mid 80's.
To make matters worse, when my friend's sister went to collect her mum she had been slightly sick after food, so they wanted to keep an eye on her. By the time it was decided that she was fine to go home, there were no doctors to sign. She had to stay in overnight. On the chair on which she had been sitting since coming back from recovery, no bed available. Her DD went ballistic, threatened to take her mother home if she was expected to spend the night on a chair, and eventually a bed was found. She went home the next day with drains and tubes still attached.
My SIL's dad (75) had surgery for prostate cancer and despite being told he would be in for 3 or 4 days, he was discharged the following day. With catheter in place , extra bags, and no real instructions on how to look after this. He and his wife were in tears that first night.
My OH's golfing friend (72) had varicose vein surgery last week. Despite being kept waiting 8 hours before her op, so last on the list, and still bleeding, she was sent home that night. They were told to remove the bandages 3 day later in the bath. They have no bath.
It just seems as if a lot of the after care which nurses or HCA's would do in hospital is now being left for patients and their families to do.
Two of those cases were York and one was Hull.
When I had my first baby I stayed in hospital for 9 days, although we were encouraged to get up after 6 hours, which previous generations were not. It was far too long and at 21 I felt as though I had been sent to prison! The 48 hour stays after babies 2 and 3 seemed perfect to me.
Now it is exceptional to stay in hospital much longer than 6 hours after the birth, unless there are problems with mother or baby. This means new mums get far less rest, in my opinion.
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