My mum was recently been transferred from one ward to another and the difference between the staff is staggering. They make being officious into an art form! There's been a few instances, but my favourite so far is when I arrived 25 minutes early for visiting (I wasn’t told the new ward had different visiting times). After taking a chair and speaking for a few minutes I was approached by a staff nurse and asked to leave as it wasn’t visiting time yet. I apologised and said I assumed that it would be the same as the old ward, but I’d remember for next time. She asked me to leave. Since I had a toddler with me, I didn’t fancy going all the way back down stairs. I offered to sit in the day room - they don’t have a day room. I refused and asked to speak to the charge nurse. I was taken to her office and spoken to about the nature of the patients on this ward, they’re needs etc and they don’t make special dispensations for “decants”. Describing a patient as a “decant” (esp. to a relative) “is not a dignified or respectful way to refer to patients” - quote taken from page 7 of the Healthcare Improvement Scotland Unannounced Inspection Report (Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and Woodend Hospital, NHS Grampian): 6–10 October 2014. )
Patients (esp. elderly ones) often feel burdensome of healthcare staff - don’t make it worse by treating those moved into your wards (with perhaps differing needs than you are used to) differently to your “usual” patients - don’t call them decants.
"Decant = burden ??"
About: Aberdeen Royal Infirmary / General Internal Medicine Aberdeen Royal Infirmary General Internal Medicine AB25 2ZN
Posted by HLJ (as ),
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Update posted by HLJ (a relative) 8 years ago
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