Do nursing staff not wash patients anymore or change sheets?

Its terrible really, why don't they get taught on the wards instead of turning up for their first shift as a 1st year expecting to join the morning drug round.

Sadly that’s true - I get 3rd year students who can’t take a manual BP. They get 1 session in uni. As a district nurse we do manual Bps every day. We encourage the students to practice at home on friend/relative and on each other- it’s a real skill to be able to do it

My dh had day surgery in a private wing of nhs hospital, he took time to recover so stayed the night , he could barely move the next day, I asked for dry wipes to help him have a wash and the nurse just smirked and looked like I was mad trying to help him. Getting decent painkillers was a challenge, she kept telling him that patients are sent home with paracetomol the same day but presumably they still have strong analgesia still in their system from theatre. It was really disappointing to witness poor "care" at the hospital I worked in.

My Husband wasn’t given any assistance with washing or any personal care when he had major surgery.

I asked a Nurse if he could have some support with washing, and she said ‘he needs a bed bath, don’t worry I’ll sort it out.’ 5 minutes later she returned with a pack of a wet wipe type product, and announced ‘here is your bed bath.’ I said that’s a pack of wet wipes, where is the bed bath, if you’re too busy give me the bowl and jug etc and I’ll do it. I was told they don’t provide these and they only give the wet wipe products, so for the next week we ‘wiped’ him everyday. We couldn’t believe it.

You can come only judge by your own experiences, but I have come to dread any contact with our local health services.
I was given some good advice many years ago by a solicitor who advised to document everything with dates, times and who you spoke to. I make a big show of looking at name badges and recording who said what. It certainly focuses nursing staff on accountability.
The PALS system really concerns me. A friend of mine kept having a procedure cancelled and a complaint to PALS resulted in a slot miraculously becoming available - but I know that was at the expense of someone else's procedure being cancelled! I can't help wondering if it's just a way of placating those who shout the loudest rather than addressing the real issues.

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Yes but the point is that the OP shouldn't have to ask, she is entirely correct. What about people who don't have someone to advocate for them? As someone who spent a few years in and out of hospital visits with elderly parents, their care varied enormously, even between different wards in the same hospital.

When I was in hospital having the dc I didn't have visitors much, just dh and the older dc for a few minutes each day so the staff did that until I could do it myself. When the dc are in hospital I stay with them so I do all the washing, sheet changes etc. I see that as my job if I am staying.

pop to the nurses station and say your daughter needs a wash and fresh sheets please

In all my years of nursing I’ve literally never met a single nurse who wouldn’t make a bed. Ever . They wouldn’t have survived it . Sorry but I actually don’t believe this.

YANBU @keepswimming38, I hope your DD is on the mend. I have spent a lot of time in hospitals over the last 10 years, and have rarely been left more than 24 hours without clean sheets on the bed. Each morning, I've been asked "Will you be having a shower or shall I bring you a bowl of warm water to have a wash?" Even when I've been in ITU, and showers aren't available, I've always been given a bed bath and the opportunity to put on fresh PJs.

That's why I also mentioned adult wards just to cover both bases....

My dad died in hospital recently. Sheets were changed regularly by health care assistants. They also offered to help him wash, but didn't insist if he said he didn't want to.

Don't think OPs daughter is on paeds

Not knowing how to make a bed is nothing. I've worked with nq nurses who can't record a manual pulse or blood pressure.

I actually heard student nurses question why they needed to learn how to make beds etc when it was the Hca/housekeeper job. Some staff defo think that certain tasks are beneath them.

As an NHS staff member: if basic care is not happening and staff are rude like that you have options: I advise people wanting to complain. Pals if they have an office or email/contact number( they were great at my last trust), care opinion or nhs choices web pages, ask to speak to the ward manager.

I always want to give patients and families the kind of care ( in my role) i’d expect for me or my family. Yes it’s busy and short staffed. But standards of care are basics.

She’s 20, bedbound and very unwell. Seriously how about the nurses provide the nursing care they are actually paid to provide?

YANBU OP says a lot for the state of the NHS that people seem to think this is acceptable. Hope your daughter recovers well and is home soon. You must be worried sick

I had a c section 4 months ago and was washed in the bed by a midwife when I was still immobile. The rest of the postnatal care was pretty awful though!

I had to change my own sheets post c section. I think it depends on which hospital and the staff members sadly

It's all too common I'm afraid, drinks too, left to go cold or the jug is on the locker out of reach. Staff often put 200mla on a fluid chart when the drink is put down instead of when, if at all, it's actually drunk.

Omg, that is disgusting...How very sad for the people, who when the needed the help the most, they didn't get it. I am a retired nurse and it upsets me very much what l have read on this post...

It’s appalling that meals can be delivered ,left out of reach of the patient , then collected untouched. It’s neglect

I am a district nurse - my team are skilled and work incredibly hard and often go above and beyond

I have no degree, I sat the dc test as not even ond o level, , I gained my rgn, I was also a respiratory , cardiac and palliative care nurse. When visiting wards I would not hesitate helping a patient wash, go to the toilet, have fresh sheets and bedclothes.