"Poor Nursing Care"

My Grandfather was recently admitted to ward 114 in ARI and since been discharged.

When I visited him I observed faecal matter throughout the bed sheets. I asked him if this had just happened and he explained that this actually happened the day previous. I asked him if the nursing staff were aware of this and he said he was unsure but someone had came in the morning and made the bed.

From what I observed, if anyone had came in to make the bed, there is no possible way they could have missed the significant amount of faecal matter that was on the sheets of the bed as they fold the top sheet and thermal cover down at the base of the bed and not at the top near the pillow.

Once the visit was over I went to the nurses station to try and make them aware. However, no nurse was present and after waiting 15 minutes I had to leave. My concern is not about having to wait for a nurse - I wholeheartedly appreciate the pressure staff are under - my concern is my Grandfather or any other patient lying in a bed full of faeces.

I asked another relative who visited him the next day to check the bed and was thankfully told the bed had been properly changed.

My Grandfather is a proud man and it humiliated him when he knew I observed the bed sheet, I believe this was totally avoidable as I already mentioned, someone did tend to the bed, just to strip it.

Not only do I feel this is degrading for the patient, it’s not compliant with IP&C and it can also impact on skin integrity of the patient.