Dispatches Undercover Angels Channel 4

[RTKangaMummy]

Channel 4

Tonight

8pm

[nikkim]

this may be a thick question to those in the know but what is it about?

[RTKangaMummy]

Documentary

Dispatches

8:00pm - 9:00pm

Channel 4

Undercover Angels

Another edition of the current affairs series which, on this occasion, goes undercover to investigate the standards of nursing care for vulnerable elderly patients in two busy NHS hospitals. Nursing assistants wearing hidden cameras reveal a catalogue of instances in which patient care is compromised, including a lack of basic hygiene practices that leave patients ill-protected against MRSA.

[MistressMary]

right I will be there!
I had my client come out of hospital with mrsa all the time, and bed sores too. Disgusting.

[MistressMary]

clients I mean.

[RTKangaMummy]

My Dad had MRSA a few years ago

After a hip replacement

He has recovered now

[mamadadawahwah]

Cant wait to see this. I hope they tell the real truth. Worked in hospital for years as lab tech not nurse, but seen a lot. Never wanna be a patient!

[TwoIfBySea]

I started nursing training when I was 18 and left about 1 1/2 years later because I couldn't believe some of the attitudes I came across in the staff. I am thinking this is what this show will uncover in which case it is nothing new.

My SIL has just started nurse training so anyone in the Glasgow region, don't plan on getting ill in 3 years time! Worse, she plans to be a midwife as she is under the impression it is all smiley babies. Harharhar! I was thinking of going back to see if anything had changed and I was considering midwifery but I think I will have to choose something else.

[RTKangaMummy]

25 mins

[Moomina]

I start midwifery training this year so will be watching this with interest...

[RTKangaMummy]

BTW my best friend is a nurse and she works very hard for not much pay

She is dedicated to her job and has been a nurse for over 10 years.

So whatever this programme will show there are good nurses out there.

[RTKangaMummy]

Now

[mamadadawahwah]

I dont think this show is about the nurses being bad, per se, its the system that allows haphazard practices. Lack of funding etc. Of course there are good nurses out there. But, this show is I think about how nurses who dont give a shit can get away with it. Thats the topic.

[MistressMary]

Effing hell!

I know now why, my clients came back in the condition they did!
RUH Bath is where they went to, and yes I gave birth in that place too!

Absolutely disgusting attitudes being seen.

[Amanda3266]

have had to turn this of - horrendous but not surprising. I trained as nurse in the 1980s and as a new student nurse in 1985 remember patienst with MRSA being identified with a "MRSA" stamp on their notes - and a doctor who didn't believe in all that coming along and crossing it off.

I remember the wards being much cleaner until the cleaning services were privatised and as far as I can see it's all gone downhill ever since.
I can remember being a nurse on an elderly care ward with 5 nurses (including me) to provide total care for 30 patients. Was there a cleaner on the ward at all times - no. Did that mean that sometimes things went awry - yes.

Recently I went back to the ward I worked on - an elderly relative was there. One of the nursing assistants there remembered me and just said "it's dreadful". Never enough staff, they are always changing - nobody wants to work on the elderly care wards"

Just awful.

On a more positive note, when I was in hospital 18 months ago for an op the room I was in could not have been cleaner - cleaners came in every day and as far as I could see they were always cleaning. So it's not the same everywhere. I suspect that the wards which are most under pressure to provide total care suffer the most. Others where the patients are mostly self-caring have nurses with enough time to support the cleaners.

[RTKangaMummy]

I think Agency nurses are a big part of the problem

Because they don't build up a relationship with patients and so don't see them as people.

[MistressMary]

Maybe more likely to be continuity of care or total lack of it, and understaffed and no communication between staff members.
And not understnding the job description and who is responsible for what.

[Smurfgirl]

I was surprised and upset to be honest. I want to be a nurse and wil start my training in September, I hope I do not end up like those people.

I work with old people and in the past week there have been two incidents that shocked me. Two confused residents were admitted to our local NHS hospital. F all was done for them and both came back in an awful state. One who was imobile, incontinent, unable to speak was sent home in a hospital gown with no knickers and pad on, her hair had not been brushed and she had not been washed. I was just so upset. Its not being too posh to wash, it is IMO lazy. I know nurses are busy, but to have put some knickers on her and brush her hair would have taken them 5 minutes if that.

And it is hard being in a position where you cannot speak up for fear of disciplin.

[MistressMary]

I know what you mean smurfgirl, I often seen this kind of neglect on Residents and clients that I have come across, as an ex care worker in the community.

[miggy]

When I had my first baby, after a difficult forceps delivery and pelvis damage, I literally could not sit up and move in bed easily. The first morning, someone brought my breakfast and just dumped it on the end of the bed. I couldnt get to it in time and 15 mins later they whisked it away, not caring or asking why it wasnt touched/moved or giving me time to get help. I thought then that I could really see how frail elderly people suffer from malnutrition in hospital.
That old man she was trying to forcefeed-heartbreaking

[MistressMary]

Miggy I had a delivery like you in, RUH Bath. I didn't get breakfast delivered to me I had to go and get my own. They also forgot to tell me what times the canteen was starting brekkie anyhow.

[phoebeki]

I had a baby in Colchester General Hospital in 1997. The new maternity ward had only been opened a few weeks and I was only in there for 20 hrs but I contracted MRSA and nearly died. The lack of hygeine was unbelievable. When I (bizaarley) returned in 2002 to have my 3rd the hygeine and food had improved. Following on from my previous experience I vacated the premises 3 hrs after giving birth. I would challenge anybody to be able to get any r&r there, the wards have six or eight beds. When somebody delivers at night on come all the lights and in they are wheeled with accompanying loud chatter from the staff- it honestly is as if they want to encourage people to leave asap to free up the bed for the next person! I went home for a rest which considering I already had two young children at home says a lot!

[phoebeki]

Sorry....., didn't mean to turn this into a rant. I know that there are thousands of fab medical people waving their stethoscopes out there for the good of mankind but when you have a near miss basically through poor organisation/penny pinching it stays with you....

[MistressMary]

Most definately.