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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be annoyed with district nurse

46 replies

littlebillie · 29/11/2013 22:29

My mother is 74 and not in the best if health and three weeks ago had a spontaneous break out of ulcers. she has been awaiting assessment for treatment by a specialist however the district nurses have been dressing it. I had to go to her house tonight to pull off three weeks of dressings which the hadn't bothered to remove. They sent her home today in agony and she could hardly walk. Her foot looks like raw meat. The nurses have promised to go tonight but then rang her and said she would have to wait until tomorrow. I have cleaned it and dressed it and at least now she can sleep. I am so angry about the way she has been treated.

OP posts:

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 30/11/2013 22:00

How do you know they are 3 weeks old dressings though little?
Most leg ulcer dressings are 4 layer compression bandages (I'm in NHS Healthcare but not leg ulcers though plenty of my patients do have them)

Does your mother have patient-held records at home?
If so, it would have documented about the wound?
And what dressings were used.

I went to see a lady years ago who hadn't been seen by Leg Ulcer for 3 weeks (because she didn't answer the door or phone. Nowadays it would be escalated and there would be more involvment to see her) but when I called , she just happened to be passing the front door. (She was blind and deaf)

The bandages absolutely stunk.
I reported it to the District Nurses and they managed to get access to her.

But, yes, you are right. It needs looked into. You'll need your Mothers permission and you'll need to make sure you get answers.

SpikeyChristmasTree · 30/11/2013 22:07

I've had very mixed dealings with District Nursing teams. When my Dad had his legs amputated he was supposed to be visited daily to have honey placed in the wounds and have them packed and dressed as they were infected. Some days they didn't come and I had to do it (I was 10). Some days they did come and the bandages fell off after an hour or two. He ended up having to have both legs amputated further. However, some years later when they were coming to do his catheter care they were brilliant.

Sickandsad · 30/11/2013 22:10

Hi little ills, hope your mum is feeling a bit today. You need to speak to the Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) team working for your local NHS community trust, who provide the district nursing service in your mums area.

They will help you to express your concerns and ensure your mum is getting the she needs. They will also explain how you can make a complaint - which will certainly be taken seriously by the Trust management team.

I've been down this road many times getting care services in place for my disabled DSis. It's hard work and you have to be on top of them all the time and know the right routes to contact when things start to go awry.

Good luck.

Original poster

littlebillie · 30/11/2013 22:28

70isaLimitNotaTarget my mother has watched them put dressing on top of dressing. She is perfectly sane just thought they were trying something new. She hasn't been given approval yet for compression bandages yet, she has to see the vascular surgeon next week.

OP posts:

Original poster

littlebillie · 30/11/2013 22:32

Just spoke to the out of hours to find out why my mother did not get a visit today. They confirmed that she had been visited at 5 and her leg had been re-dressed. My brother was with her and no one came however the paper work was in the hand of the night district nurse. She couldn't understand why some one would submit paperwork and NOT have visited a patient. Lack of management control on this whole debacle!!!!!

OP posts:

Original poster

littlebillie · 30/11/2013 22:32

They have "promised" to come tomorrow

OP posts:

ExitPursOodByWho · 30/11/2013 22:37

This is just awful. Your poor mum!

SquinkiesRule · 30/11/2013 22:43

Well if the night district nurse has the paperwork saying they came, someone is faking their paperwork and not doing visits. Not unheard of.

Original poster

littlebillie · 30/11/2013 22:45

Fraud

OP posts:

EnlightenedOwl · 30/11/2013 23:01

Not surprised by this and even less surprised by them saying that they had attended when they had not. You must complain especially in light of the fraudulent records of visits that have not been made.

Original poster

littlebillie · 30/11/2013 23:09

I am going to and copy in MP

OP posts:

DeathByLaundry · 30/11/2013 23:11

This is so sad, your poor mum. I hope she gets the help she needs and that you feel able to escalate this. It would be awful if the failings here were repeated.

Original poster

littlebillie · 30/11/2013 23:21

I think about all the people who don't have anyone to speak for them.

OP posts:

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 30/11/2013 23:23

If the paperwork and the evidence don't tally, then yes, definately escalate it.

I have on two occasions ( I'm a Podiatrist not a DN) been unable to remove a dressing with sterile saline without having to peel my patient off the ceiling, but I've asked the patient to soak it off in warm salt water then seen them the next day.

And documented exactly why.(If there were reasons for the dressings being left on, they should be documented) I use dressings that can stay in situ for 7 days (but I think the longest I've heard of is 14 days, but not one I use)

Something amiss going on.

Original poster

littlebillie · 01/12/2013 09:58

Awaiting to see if they visit today

OP posts:

EnlightenedOwl · 01/12/2013 16:19

Any luck?

justtoomessy · 01/12/2013 16:27

Hmm sounds like someone has faked a visit. Is the nurses name on the paperwork? Ask for the paperwork and the name of the nurse who supposedly came and then complain the NMC directly.

Sounds awful. however, there are dressings that you don't change and leave on next to the skin and just change the top layers. We use one that can be left on for 21 days but I wouldn't leave that long.

Original poster

littlebillie · 01/12/2013 20:44

She had a visit today, her feeling is that we should complain as they may not treat her again. I am still going to write.

OP posts:

EnlightenedOwl · 01/12/2013 21:16

I can understand your mum's feelings but she should not have to endure poor care - at least they've been today.

Original poster

littlebillie · 01/12/2013 21:17

Thanks everyone I needed to vent!!!!

OP posts:

Sickandsad · 02/12/2013 12:28

Glad she has been seen littlebillie but I really do think you need to lodge a complaint about this.

What if this happened to someone without the family support your mum has? It's an accident waiting to happen.

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