Hospital Care

Mrs Seabiscuit · 21 Oct 2013 at 08:06

I along with lots of nurses get increasingly irate with relatives that don't bring basic toiletries in for their relatives, or patients expect the hospital to provide them. Now I am talking soap,flannel,toothbrush,toothpaste, shampoo. Following a discussion with several people, I was surprised to learn that actually people thought that we provided them, as they were sterile and highest quality. In reality I informed these people actually they are the cheapest things the trust can find, of poor quality and just not nice.

Now what is your opinion? I would like to add at this point I an refereeing to patients being on the ward for more than two days and ones we know have family and friends visiting.

d_brennen · 21 Oct 2013 at 08:12

Makes sense, but you are forgetting the level of ignorance in the general populace

Hades · 21 Oct 2013 at 08:14

For some time I've thought it a massive wasted opportunity for hospitals. You could easily sell a range of items and it would help finances.

wnb · 21 Oct 2013 at 08:14

Some people expect far too much.

Mikey1000 · 21 Oct 2013 at 08:27

Hades said:
For some time I've thought it a massive wasted opportunity for hospitals. You could easily sell a range of items and it would help finances.

Very sensible idea!

Lokai · 21 Oct 2013 at 08:28

I remember visiting my wife of the maternity ward and a young woman ringing the emergency bell and asking the HCA for a cup of tea

The state of some of the people while we where in there i don't imagine they use soap, toothpaste etc at home !!

deuse · 21 Oct 2013 at 08:32

Mrs Seabiscuit said:
I along with lots of nurses get increasingly irate with relatives that don't bring basic toiletries in for their relatives, or patients expect the hospital to provide them. Now I am talking soap,flannel,toothbrush,toothpaste, shampoo. Following a discussion with several people, I was surprised to learn that actually people thought that we provided them, as they were sterile and highest quality. In reality I informed these people actually they are the cheapest things the trust can find, of poor quality and just not nice.

Now what is your opinion? I would like to add at this point I an refereeing to patients being on the ward for more than two days and ones we know have family and friends visiting.

In the 60-80s they did have the basic stuff for you and they still do in my area. You must live in a poor area\place?

pitchfork · 21 Oct 2013 at 08:38

I wouldn't expect it no, although I suppose if someones bed bound it might be expected that the hospital provide the equipment for in bed bathing.

I know they have some kind of UV thing that cleans ladies hair.

JBuk · 21 Oct 2013 at 08:42

Inform each patient or next of kin what they will need upon admittance to the ward

Problem solved

Mrs Seabiscuit · 21 Oct 2013 at 08:49

d_brennen said:
Makes sense, but you are forgetting the level of ignorance in the general populace

Very true lol

Hades said:
For some time I've thought it a massive wasted opportunity for hospitals. You could easily sell a range of items and it would help finances.

Yes but we give it for free. We have directed people to the shop further along corridoer. Im talking about the person horrified we didn't have a full and comprehensive range of expensive FREE toiletries.

deuse said:
In the 60-80s they did have the basic stuff for you and they still do in my area. You must live in a poor area\place?

I dont live in a poor area at all I am saying why do people think they should use the horrible stuff provided for free, as opposed to getting someone to bring their own nicer toiletries in. They have them at home so why cant a relative/ friend get them for patient.

Mrs Seabiscuit · 21 Oct 2013 at 08:54

JBuk said:
Inform each patient or next of kin what they will need upon admittance to the ward

Problem solved

lol do you actually think they listen.

pitchfork said:
I wouldn't expect it no, although I suppose if someones bed bound it might be expected that the hospital provide the equipment for in bed bathing.

I know they have some kind of UV thing that cleans ladies hair.

Lol again its just a papier mache bowl and soap and flannel. Wash patient in bed roll to do half sheets roll other way remove dirty sheets and pull other half sheets through. No specialist equipment required ok well a slide sheet to get them up the bed.

A uv thing to wash ladies hair???? Maybe in a private hospital but teheis is the NHS! We just use a bowl behind patients head wash the hair that way. But what does that have to do about relatives providing toiletries?

Cosimo · 21 Oct 2013 at 08:57

JBuk said:
Inform each patient or next of kin what they will need upon admittance to the ward

Problem solved

Might as well tell them about undertaker services at the same time.

Mrs Seabiscuit · 21 Oct 2013 at 08:59

Cosimo said:
Might as well tell them about undertaker services at the same time.

You naughty boy sim!! :mad:

deuse · 21 Oct 2013 at 09:06

Mrs Seabiscuit said:
Very
I dont live in a poor area at all I am saying why do people think they should use the horrible stuff provided for free, as opposed to getting someone to bring their own nicer toiletries in. They have them at home so why cant a relative/ friend get them for patient.

All the toiletries I had when I was in was the same as they sell in the shops\supermarkets, same brands as well.

I did see women dolling themselves up on the ward but to be honest it made them look no better.

Mrs Seabiscuit · 21 Oct 2013 at 09:15

deuse said:
All the toiletries I had when I was in was the same as they sell in the shops\supermarkets, same brands as well.

I did see women dolling themselves up on the ward but to be honest it made them look no better.

Well that hospital is very fortunate, most hospitals don't provide named brands toiletries for free. So your defending people that think its their right to have free toiletries in hospital? On the continent relatives have to do most basic nursing care for their sick relatives and provide food for them. People in this country people treat hospitals like hotels.

scorza · 21 Oct 2013 at 09:21

Out of interest, do you give patients information telling them what to bring when they're being admitted to hospital? Going into hospital is a rare (hopefully) event and quite stressful and maybe people aren't thinking as rationally as they might.

Mind you, it could be worse, when I was in hospital last year both my Mum and Dad were expecting the nurses to bring them tea and coffee. Talk about embarrassing.

Leprechaun312 · 21 Oct 2013 at 09:24

....Why would you want to use free NHS provided toiletries when you can bring your own from home?

I can understand maybe if you forgot e.g. toothpaste or something but asking for everything.....Catch yourself on

deuse · 21 Oct 2013 at 09:34

Mrs Seabiscuit said:
Well that hospital is very fortunate, most hospitals don't provide named brands toiletries for free. So your defending people that think its their right to have free toiletries in hospital? On the continent relatives have to do most basic nursing care for their sick relatives and provide food for them. People in this country people treat hospitals like hotels.

I'm not defending no one. As I said a lot of hospitals used to give out stuff(ours still do) so I would expect it all the time.

As for the continent ect I guess they don't pay all the tax that we do on everything?

glenimp617 · 21 Oct 2013 at 09:41

I would expect it, absolutely!

However...I fully understand what I expect, and what I receive are two VERY different things.

The NHS is a shambles. Luckily I don't have cause to go too often, however I was with a member of staff last week due to him having kidney stones. If anyone has had kidney stones they know what it's like.

1. He was sat waiting for ages laid in agony
2. They made him walk to the consultancy room, then walk to his bed
3. He was left on his own for nearly an hour
4. The doctor kept getting the blood tests wrong
5. The nurse gave him morphene, walked away and left him (the morphene didnt work first time).
6. When I got there, he was screaming in agony. One nurse looked disgusted at him as to say 'can you keep the noise down please'

This is NOT a rant at the nurses at all. They are over worked, and under paid. It's not there fault they are doing the work of three/four people. Yet, it's the patients that suffer

You have to pay for the TV!
You are on a ward with other people, seriously! How degrading

He has been living in the US for a few years, so obviously he was a bit shocked with how our NHS is run.

anyway, back on topic. Yeah, I expect a standard level of care with my Tax money thanks. If I forget my toothbrush, or family forget, then I expect to be provided with one.

Mrs Seabiscuit · 21 Oct 2013 at 09:46

scorza said:
Out of interest, do you give patients information telling them what to bring when they're being admitted to hospital? Going into hospital is a rare (hopefully) event and quite stressful and maybe people aren't thinking as rationally as they might.

Yes we do provide bedside booklets. I am talking about people who have been on the ward several days and have had several visitors and not emergencies I am not that cruel lol.

deuse said:
I'm not defending no one. As I said a lot of hospitals used to give out stuff(ours still do) so I would expect it all the time.

I just don't feel you should expect anything like that, you pay for toiletries at home so whats the issue with either getting someone to bring them in or if its elective bringing them in yourself.