The rules seem to vary quite a bit from hospital to hospital but for the two big hospitals in our trust there is no visiting at all unless the patient is receiving end of life care.
DH is having a major op this week and will be in for at least 10 days. This is at a hospital which has declared itself covid free this week with no positive patients remaining in their care, so presumably that means transmission rates in the community are also currently low.
However, the rules are what they are, so we will have to manage but I have some questions:
- He needs to take enough clean clothes for 10 days but is also told to take only one small bag. Am I able to take clean clothes part way through or should he just take a bag big enough to contain what he needs?
- I'll be OK, keep myself occupied but 10 days in hospital with no company? I always understood these things make a difference to recovery.
- I haven't yet got my head round what kind of "condition" DH will be in after the op, but as they've told him at least 10 days, I assume they're expecting him to be quite poorly, at least to begin with. I was a regular visitor for three of my grandparents in hospital at various times and for all three we were important advocates for them in getting the care they needed. It was a long time ago now so maybe things have changed but we do keep hearing about how overworked staff are etc, who is fulfilling the patient advocate role, if there are no visitors to speak up for poorly patients? Even things like bringing some fruit if they're not enjoying the food. Again, 10 days is a long time.
- What contact should I expect/have with the ward and the doctors? I don't want to be a nuisance but it feels wrong that I won't be there to talk to anyone.
Obviously hospitals need to take these important precautions but it must impact patients. How can I help minimise that impact?