Are patients not washed any more in hospital?

[Shortkiwi]

I am a nurse of over 40yrs plus. My 93 yr old father has been in hospital for a week. We have visited every day and had to wash and shave him in the afternoon or evening because it hasn’t been done. When I asked if he could be showered one evening, for the next day, I think they showered him but without using soap or shampoo, basically hosed him down from what he reported. His hair was definitely not washed. His teeth have not been cleaned without us doing them. Shaving is definitely not on the agenda. When I was a young nurse it was a given that patients were bathed each day, either in the bathroom or in bed. Teeth/dentures were cleaned and male patients shaved. We were admonished if these things weren’t done. Dad’s ward was very quiet today with several nurses chatting at the nurses station. They were very happy to get us any personal items we didn’t have. I just think if it wasn’t for us he wouldn’t be clean. He actually said, through his dementia, how much better he felt today after we showered him and washed his hair and said it would last him for a while! Which it won’t of course!
We had a list, in the old days, in terms of total patient care, in which we had to tick off items of personal hygiene for every patient in both our theory and practice. I’m sad for those that might not have relatives to attend to personal hygiene these days. It has never been discussed that we would do it, it’s just not been done. Basically, we have had to take the initiative. Years ago there were charts and care plans at the end of the bed, now it’s all computerised. I can excuse the 3 days of hell in A&E but not these last 4 days on the ward. My Dad is not mobile unless he has a lot of help and he is confused.

I am surprised this thread has not been hijacked yet. I have posted about this sort of thing before and I am always - always - shouted down and sometimes even called a troll, just because I don't buy into the 'all nurses are angels' narrative.

Why are you planning to intimidate her for the sake of it? Ffs

Same with my poor uncle in Dublin.

He was also told to urinate in his adult diaper when asked if he could be walked to the toilet. The reason was that they needed 2 nurses to assist and they were short-staffed.

In that case it's totally unacceptable. To be honest I know none of us want to be "that" relative when we are on the other side but I would be asking for answers why his hygiene needs hadn't been attended to once. It's so dehumanising to feel unclean not to mention the risk of infections etc if you aren't being washed!

Sadly the ward my parent has been on for a couple of months the patients dont even have their toileting needs seen to. My paralyzed parent had been asking for a nappy change for soiled nappy for over 3 hours when I arrived for visiting. HCA eventually free to do it and donned her gloves then got screamed as by a nurse for agreeing to do it. She explained I had asked and was angrily told to do something else in front of me and the 3 other patients on the ward. Who on earth would do that job even with any pay rise.

I feel broken from the sights I have seen on the stroke ward. 40 year olds crying out for hours for toileting needs (i try to find them help), so many patients injuring themselves due to inadequate care. The paralyzed patients can easily fall out of the chairs they are put in as they are slippery and tilt forwards. Would be worth a FOI request to see how many xrays inpatients require from injuries sustained during their care. My parent has needed 2 so far for injuries in care and others in at the same time had actually broken bones.

what a load of shit. This woman used to get particularly distressed on ‘hair wash day’ yet you were only in for a week? try harder next time

Did you not ask them to wash you and put clean underwear on you? Why not?

My mum had to wash & change me when I was in HDU after having an emcs for ds. 36 hours after having him I was still in my theatre gown sat on the same incontinence pad in a pool of blood. I couldn't get out of bed as I was hooked up to so many drips, drains & catheter & I was only semi conscious, my mum bed bathed me, put me pants & a pad on & changed me in to my own nightie, my bum & backs of the tops of my legs were red raw & peeling from being sat in a pool of blood on a plastic mat & by the time I discharged myself 4 days later I had blisters & sores. My mum did it every day until I was fit to do it myself. This was in 2004 so it isn't anything new.

Every time someone sees patients being ignored and not cared for it should be reported and complaints made. Write to your MP , lodge a complaint with the NHS complaints system. Talk about it on your local radio station. Everyone should be making a massive fuss about it. Silence won’t help anyone.

Righto, why haven’t you discussed this with the nursing staff then?

I’m a student nurse and I know that I’m the first year personal care is drilled into you. It was actually one of the core proficiencies we had to write a reflection on. In my experience in practice is that we do offer to provide personal care. I personally prefer to encourage full independence or as much as the patients can do for themselves but I am always more than happy to help. As I’ve progressed through, there are times where I just haven’t had the time and so a HCA has stepped in for me. I prefer to do it myself as it allows me to complete assessments like skin integrity and identifying issues with independent personal care so I can plan appropriately when discharging. But, my placements have mainly been private wards so the caseloads are different.

My dm was hospitalised last year and was not washed for 5 days. I put in a complaint to the nurse in charge as, for me, that’s the most basic level of human dignity. Even then they would only offer a quick bed bath. I was finishing my placement, going to her hospital, fighting with the nurses to actually get on to the ward and taking her for a shower. I agree with you that it is unacceptable.

It's a problem in many wards.

DH's Granny is in hospital atm and the ward is closed because of Covid. She's asked one of her granddaughters to put wet wipes in the drop bag tomorrow because she's not had a wash for over a week.

We're also deeply concerned because she's complaining to us that she's developing a pressure sore. The ward staff say not, but last time she complained about it she was spot on correct. The lack of staffing is a massive problem. Especially on a ward where quite a few of the patients are difficult because of dementia. I think quiet patients are almost accidentally forgotten about to an extent.

They seem to think because she's over 100 she's clueless, but she's as sharp as a tack!

This happened to my mother over ten years ago. She had to beg me to take her into shower and do basic body washes on the bed on bad days. I had to bring in my own towels and hairdryer every time. Always got fobbed off with the too busy but will ask the next shift to do it. It was awful as she really needed two people to move her, not just me, which meant her bed got slightly damp from a bedwash. Never had help :/

i was in Hospital for 2 months a few years ago couldn’t fault the care or the ward it was run with military precision
personal care and mobility were top priority

my dad in the same year had a brief stay the care was nothings short of neglect
he was actually dirty and stunk staff were horrendous
all pre covid
I saw one of the nurses who looked after me . Told her my concerns she said let me guess he’s on ward 37
fully staff run atrociously and said wouldn’t have her dad on there

its all down to how it run

That sounds awful!
Poor you.
I had a spine op and got a bed bath by a lovely HCA.
I'm sorry you were left in that condition.

I have been in hospital a good few times now. I have never ever been washed and was mostly actively discouraged from showering myself due to staff shortages apparently. I also despite being very ill ended up helping the 5 very elderly dementia patients on my ward with drinks food, hearing aids pillows etc for the entire stay. I agree with a PP who said that the staff actively seem to despise the patients. I don’t buy into the Angels narrative. I have stayed in 4/5 different hospitals. Generally HCA’s have been ok during the day, horrible in the night, nurses don’t do much patient care except medication, and doctors couldn’t give a flying fuck 🤷‍♀️ On my most recent visit during Covid, a lady died on the ward the curtain was closed and she was there for 17 hours. At handover the following evening I heard someone laugh that they had forgotten to call her in. ‘Ah well the rest of them won’t remember anyway.’ I obviously made a complaint through pals, but got a generic response back. I am shutting myself about getting old and possibly dementia and ending up in hospital, it’s bad enough as an articulate, fairly mobile 35 year old!

I was bed bathed after a recent op, then the following day, someone got me up and helped me wash myself in the shower.

It was a smaller hospital, but still NHS.

The op was a routine hip replacement.

I’m so sorry and sad to hear this, your poor dad. My heart also goes out to the nursing staff who for a majority are rushed off their feet.

I would maybe speak politely to the nurses and ask them to bath your dad / brush his teeth as it makes him feel better and you’re not able to visit so regularly as to do that kind of care. Sending love xx

You are being somewhat disingenuous. You posted a few weeks ago about the nurses strike of which you were in favour. You agreed that IT had taken over and much of the time was spent nursing a computer. To me that suggests you are perfectly aware of the strain we are under. I work on ICU so a completely different kettle of fish. Even I know how horrendous it is on the wards as the patients are so much sicker and the care is more complex. You are not posting in good faith and I suspect as usual this thread will fill up with the usual nurse bashing, tarring a whole profession be cause of a minority.
And surely as a practicing nurse you’d be fully up to speed about nurse training ?

Thinking about it too- same hospital trust, but a different hospital- when my mum was dying, they came and washed her and brushed her hair every day. They also used a pad thing on a stick to wipe around the inside of her mouth. She looked beautiful.

I think we must be very lucky with our particular trust.

My experience too with a broken back. They just shoved the plate in front of me and buggered off. I could hardly breathe talk and certainly couldn't move. I just went hungry.

I’m a qualified staff nurse for the last 5 and a half years and in my time I have never experienced the neglect people are talking about here. I have never known a patient to go a week without a wash, even those who are very reluctant (and physically able) will be encouraged to wash and a basin of water and soap offered, along with fresh PJs if the have none, tooth brush, comb etc. They will also be offered fresh bedsheets every second day or they will be changed more often if spiked etc.

Yes granted, it is extremely difficult to offer someone a shower everyday but I endeavour to shower someone and wash their hair if they’re in over a week. At the very least patients get a very thorough bed bath in the morning and the pressure areas checked again at 12pm, 5pm and then again twice over night with the night staff. I’m in Ireland so our staffing pressures may not be as bad as in the NHS but this is on an extremely busy 24 bed medical ward. I cannot understand any nurse or HCA worth their salt who could leave patients a week without washing them.

I'm really sorry to hear this. I'm a nurse in a critical care area in Scotland, our patients have some kind of wash every day. They are not fit to have showers but in the wards they get offered washes or showers every day. I know some areas are crazy busy though. This basic hygiene and skin care is so important.

I was washed in bed when I came back from theatre by a midwife, I was numb from waist down, the midwife was an angel, brushed my hair for me as I’d gone 3 days without sleep and it was all tatty, she used my face wipes to wipe my face too. Honestly, was such a small thing but made me feel like a million dollars (well as close to that as you can get after birthing a baby)

I know how badly staff shortages are effecting everything 😔 I’m so sorry for all the other posters and their loved ones who had such bad experiences, shocking.

Influenza Here, kindly take your crock of shit back 💩

The lady was elderly but was 'only' in with a broken hip. She was fully compos mentis, and as there's fuck all else to do in hospital other than listen out for the food trolley rattling round (( food was pretty decent to be fair )) we'd sit and talk to each other.