NHS Policies has got me wound right up

krisskross

Unity wrote: »

Yet you see it as a good thing to add even more infections to the mix - that's just brilliant :T :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:. The barrier nursing teams will love you for advocating this - as the way forward!

I believe the OP was talking about attending an outpatient clinic. Hardly likely to be infecting anyone already ill. Most infections are not passed on simply by being in the same room as someone. There is always the option to turn up for the appointment and ask to sit in a room by yourself if you think you are that infectious.

As a nurse it would have been looked on most unfavourably if I had taken time off sick everytime I got a cold. In fact I would have been disciplined for too much sick time.

Mupette

I'd be annoyed if a nurse or doctor was treating me had a cold or flu, and i would say so too, and ask if there was someone else available.

then again hospital staff (my experience) can't be bothered to read your notes before seeing you, i feel less mistakes could be made if they just spent a few moments doing so

krisskross

Mupette wrote: »

.

then again hospital staff (my experience) can't be bothered to read your notes before seeing you, i feel less mistakes could be made if they just spent a few moments doing so

This would work well if a patient was only being treatedby one consultant. I have seen patients whose notes are over a foot high. How to summarise that lot?

Unity

Mupette wrote: »

I'd be annoyed if a nurse or doctor was treating me had a cold or flu, and i would say so too, and ask if there was someone else available.

[Apologies to anyone eating before they read this].

I agree, but it's basic common sense, like the hand washing that staff seem to need reminding about :wall:. I'll admit I made a complaint, when my son had to have a pilonidal sinus (in layman's terms a large weeping cyst) examined at the base of his spine. The consultant arrived, in jacket and jeans :shocked: , proceeded to examine my son (without washing his hands although there was a sink in the room) pushing at the cyst until the inevitable happened _pale_. He then said that DS would need an operation and left the room without washing his hands - touching the door handle as he left :exclamati.

A lot of people have said: "Ewww, just think of the next person he examines". :think: To which I replied, "I'm more concerned with who he examined before he saw my son!" . It's basic hygiene not rocket science .

Mupette

krisskross wrote: »

This would work well if a patient was only being treatedby one consultant. I have seen patients whose notes are over a foot high. How to summarise that lot?

Ok lets go back to 13 years ago, the baby i was carrying died. This doesnt need anyones i'm sorry, it died i knew it died, yet they hospital made me wait a further 6 weeks before they decided to do something about it.

That i dealt with, what i can not is prior to surgery i had a nurse come to me and ask all the usual pre op questions and i told her a very important bit of information that the surgeon needed to know whilst they were going to be *down there.

I saw her write this down.. in bold capital letters.. i saw her with my own eyes..
and yes i also told the anaesthetist to make sure someone in surgery knew the issue.. he opened my notes and saw what was written and was made very aware of it.......

Finally its time for me to have my operation, just before the injection to send me to sleep again i remind them about what is written on my notes, they look, they check, agree its there..

I wake up from surgery and am in agonising pain, i know there and then something went wrong.. the nurse tells me that yes the surgeon pierced my womb because it was at an odd angle.. they don't know if i could have kids again.

That piece of paper with the details on....... disappeared, did anyone remember me telling them about it... no.

The surgoen admitted not even bothering to read my notes.

Not only that but to find everyone had closed ranks ..... and at who's cost?


I think doctors and nurses do need to read a patients notes, don't you.

GlasweJen

I've never had flu when an appointment has come up, i've had blackouts en route though, once was actually admitted before the appointment because my heart stopped but the porter wheeled me down to see prof. These appointments are the most important dates in my diary, more important than friends weddings, more important than uni exams and even more important than visiting my sister in hospital when she had my first niece (different hospital in a different town). I would do anything at all to get to these appointments, it's an outpatient department, you never see people from the wards there because they're kept on the wards so going in with a runny nose or an upset stomach is fine, i tell the doctors of course but everyone else in there is fine. I've literally attended the appointments half dead, if you're so ill that you need the appointment then you'll make sure you get there.

Mupette

GlasweJen wrote: »

I've never had flu when an appointment has come up, i've had blackouts en route though, once was actually admitted before the appointment because my heart stopped but the porter wheeled me down to see prof. These appointments are the most important dates in my diary, more important than friends weddings, more important than uni exams and even more important than visiting my sister in hospital when she had my first niece (different hospital in a different town). I would do anything at all to get to these appointments, it's an outpatient department, you never see people from the wards there because they're kept on the wards so going in with a runny nose or an upset stomach is fine, i tell the doctors of course but everyone else in there is fine. I've literally attended the appointments half dead, if you're so ill that you need the appointment then you'll make sure you get there.

oh for god sake, its not as easy as you are making out.
Yes i try extremely hard to attend all my appointments just these last 4 for the pain clinic i just haven't been able to due to being too ill.

What do you want a gold star... i was ill but i attended look how smug i am.

Go back and read what some of the posters have said, some of them could not possibly attend.

krisskross

Mupette wrote: »

oh for god sake, its not as easy as you are making out.
Yes i try extremely hard to attend all my appointments just these last 4 for the pain clinic i just haven't been able to due to being too ill.

What do you want a gold star... i was ill but i attended look how smug i am.

Go back and read what some of the posters have said, some of them could not possibly attend.

So how many appointments do you think you should be allowed to cancel at presumably short notice before they can decide that you really either do not need or want to to be seen at this clinic?

Low immune system or whatever a cold is still just a cold.

Savvy_Sue

GlasweJen wrote: »

it's an outpatient department, you never see people from the wards there because they're kept on the wards so going in with a runny nose or an upset stomach is fine, i tell the doctors of course but everyone else in there is fine.

maybe true for your particular clinic, but while my dad was an in-patient he was sometimes wheeled off the ward for out-patient appointments made before he went into hospital, including when he had been put in isolation with the Norwalk virus!

Trialia

GlasweJen wrote: »

I've literally attended the appointments half dead, if you're so ill that you need the appointment then you'll make sure you get there.

Do you go by yourself? How near is your hospital to you? Do you have to use public transport to get there and go by yourself? I literally cannot leave the house when I have a migraine because even the sound of traffic and daylight make them so bad I am doubled over throwing up in the street with my coat over my eyes to hide me from the light. I've tried, and I cannot make it, by bus, by myself, to a hospital ten miles away when I have a migraine. They are that bad - and my appointments are just as important to me as they are to you. I will never be completely well again, so finding anything to mitigate my ill health is a godsend.