Bad Hospital, or just me?

I was hospitalized for 4 days for my TAH BSO, and I was never given a bath or a change of sheets. The day after my surgery I called a nurse to help me out of bed and to the bathroom and she left me there. Someone finally came and helped me back to bed about 20 min.s later... someone who heard me crying out from my room for help. I had to ask over and over for my pain meds and when I did ask for them it was 20-45 min.s before they came. Am I being picky? I would love to have had a little more help in there. The best care I got was from my husband after we got home. He has been such a Godsend.

I wasn't given a bath, because I was able to shower myself. My hospital has call buttons in the bathroom so you are not stranded there. A 20 minute wait for pain meds is about as long as I'd be willing to wait...45 minutes would have earned a second and maybe third call from me. My sheets were not changed for my two day stay but the pads they had me on were changed daily.

Nurses these days do so much paperwork that much of the direct patient care is left to the nursing assistants, who are not terribly well paid and sometimes that means they don't take their job very seriously, unfortunately.

I don't think your experience was terribly extreme, especially when I've read of some real horror stories about hospital stays here!

Mare,
I don't think you are being picky at all! You deserved better care than you received! Personally, I'd let someone at the hospital know about your poor stay. Maybe they can do something about it. I'm sorry you had to go through such a hard time.

my sheets werent changed nor the pad. the night nurses were so nice but the day ones- well my dh emptied and kept track of my urine catcher, if that says anything.
then when i had an emotional day- couldnt keep anything down, nerves shot, the nurse ask what i had taken out- suggested it was hormones. (my overies stayed) and when i said it was just the way i was- I have a hard time ajusting to change... it was basically your on your own. not much sympathy. again that goodness dh understood and was there for support. needless to say the day nurses wont get my vote on the questioneer when i get it.

I had the same issue they did not even clean the room did not change my sheets and after I showered did not even clean the bathroom...no house keeping at all...I had to call for pain meds and say PLEEEEASE need to go potty before anyone would help....my DH who was on a different floor at the same time told the ladies where I was and they told him that I would not get any help down there.....I said yup they were right...he was in the cardio ward and they took great care of him....his docs would come in to give me an update on him and I was embarrassed that the trash cans were overflowing..ugh

i know my dad had surgery two days before me at another hospital and the dr. had said his nurses would take good care of him and they did.
i think the dr. influences on these nurses makes a world of difference - it could also be supervisor issue. we all know that can make a difference in the work place. maybe i just want to believe nurses are more compationent than the care i recieved.

I hear you I was really surprised because with my DS we have been in and out the childrens ward of the same hospital and they are always clean and wonderful they take such good care of you that you feel like family so I was really blown away with my stay.

I, too, experienced a lack of care and concern during the overnight stay that I had following my hysterectomy.

I was in a room with a patient who had a total knee replacement and her PT staff pushed me and my bed into the wall! I also had to get the security guard (a visitor) to beg for a basin of warm water to wash my face the morning after surgery.

I was so upset by the lack of nursing care (I work in a hospital) that I attached a 2 page commentary to the hospital survey I received. Hopefully, it was sent on to someone who can make changes because they are badly needed.

TVH with BSO 11/29/07

WOW! I'm really sorry to hear of your awful experiences. I was in the hospital five days (Thursday-Tuesday) for my SAH vertical incision and by all accounts, I was treated like royalty. My sheets were changed everyday, my floor was mopped everyday, my trash cans were emptied several times a day, I was provided with water to sponge bathe myself the first day and then encouraged and asked if I needed help with my showers. Generally, there was someone checking on me as I finished my shower and they would then remove my towels, etc. My water bottles were refilled at least twice a day and I was always asked if there was anything else they could get for me, my request were generally soda, jello, or hot water.

I had read on the website ahead of my procedure to remind the nursing staff 20-30 minutes prior to requiring pain meds. I did have to remind them probably half the time the first three days, after that I decline most pain meds at least until bed time.

Two staff members stopped by to check on my service received and I was also given call-in information, if I thought of anything later. I suggested two nurses for special recognition, however, they all were pretty awesome. For sure, you should contact the hospital and advise of your care or lack of. I appreciate all that was done to start me on the road to recovery, however, I cannot help but think performance is rated in the hospital were I had my surgery, and of course I benefitted greatly from it.

:wowee: Wow :wowee:

I was treated like a queen... My sheets were changed at least once a day, I was brought warm blankets my ice water was filled every hour, I was offered food, drink at least once an hour, my floor was mopped twice a day, They even wattered my flowers! I joked around about the streaks on the window, and within 2 hours sombody was ther washing them!
Every room in the hospital is a private room, and has a desk and day bed and 2-3 chairs for company... the nurses even offered my guests something to drink.

Every patient is given a massage every day .
I hated to come home!
I am sorry you had a bad stay