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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect proper bedding for dd in hospital

105 replies

endlesstidying · 30/01/2014 21:49

Been thinking about this and its still annoying me a week later so thought I'd ask the MN jury.

We had to call an ambulance for dd last week. She was admitted overnight onto the observation ward in the childrens hospital and they finally found her a bed just after midnight. When we got there the bed had a bottom sheet and that was it. She was exhausted by that time so I tucked her up under my coat and went to ask for a blanket and pillow. The nurse said she'd look but wasn't sure if she'd be able to find any and she didn't.

When I went to the toilet I noticed that other children were sleeping under parents coats and no one had pillows. Most of the adults were walking about cubicles as they were cold and the windows were open. The staff said they couldn't close them as they were too high up and it was freezing

Eventually I went back to A&E and asked for loudly demanded blankets and finally got half a dozen and after tucking dd in went along the ward and offered one to each parent who took them happily - this was at about 3 in the morning.

I then got told by a nurse to mind my own business and that I'd get the staff in trouble when tey were only trying to help. She seemed really upset and angry with me to be honest.

Was i being unreasonable? Would you have done the same?

OP posts:
PartPixie · 30/01/2014 21:51

YANBU. I'd have done exactly the same. I bet the other parents were very grateful.

MothratheMighty · 30/01/2014 21:53

That sounds ludicrous, no bedding?
How on earth are you being unreasonable, you should definitely take that further, why should the staff be in trouble if they were doing their jobs properly?
My classroom has very high windows, I have a window pole with a hook on the end to open and close the top ones.

Quinteszilla · 30/01/2014 21:55

...And they still hail the NHS as an inspiration to the world.... yanbu

NomNomNom · 30/01/2014 21:56

How bizarre! Well done for doing something about it.

Have you thought about contacting PALS?

MrsBungle · 30/01/2014 21:57

Good god. Yanbu. That's bloody ridiculous

pigletmania · 30/01/2014 21:57

Yanbu at all, standards are really going down the toilet

permaquandry · 30/01/2014 21:58

I'm really surprised to hear this. I would have done exactly the same thing.

I am wondering if there is some underlying issue, red tape or lack of funds, I guess?

However, in a children's hospital ward, in winter, windows open and NO blankets? Astounding.

How is your DD. I hope she is OK?

Twighlightsparkle · 30/01/2014 21:58

YANBU unfortunately an all too common occurrence.

My daughter attends a local hospital and also a " famous" children's hospital.

The " famous" one is shocking for things like having no pillows , blankets etc.

We take our own now, unless its an emergency admission.

Depends on the ward, kids who are there for long spells tend to have these things provided( quite rightly) but should be there for all th kids that need them

breatheslowly · 30/01/2014 21:59

I want not to believe you. That just sounds crazy. How were the staff trying to help by not supplying bedding?

MothratheMighty · 30/01/2014 21:59

Why weren't the nurses scrounging blankets, and asking the caretaking staff to close windows and kicking up a fuss about lack of essential resources? What happened to the bedding that should have been there?

EthelredOnAGoodDay · 30/01/2014 22:00

That is ludicrous. I would complain to PALS.

Original poster
endlesstidying · 30/01/2014 22:01

The staff looked for bedding breatheslowly but they couldn't find any. They found it embarrassing I went to another department to demand it and to be honest I can sort of see their point of view :(

OP posts:
Original poster
endlesstidying · 30/01/2014 22:02

Permaqunadry - don't know exactly how dd is yet as still awaiting test results though she does seem to be improving thankfully but still not right.

OP posts:
Leverette · 30/01/2014 22:02

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Melfish · 30/01/2014 22:06

YANBU. I've spent too much time in hospitals recently due to my parents, and I can say on every occasion, whether it was a day trip to A and E or a longer (in my dad's case) admission, they were always given blankets and a pillow. And the hospital wards were usually extremely warm, well for the visitors all coated up, but apparently fine for the elderly patients in their PJs.
If they can do this for adult patients in A and E or on wards surely they can for the children? Am shocked. I think that nurse had an awful attitude: aren't they supposed to be ensuring the patients are comfortable rather than worrying about upsetting or annoying other staff or departments?

Original poster
endlesstidying · 30/01/2014 22:08

Thanks Leverette those are useful thoughts. Hadnt crossed my mind it may be a child protection issue

OP posts:
RussianBlu · 30/01/2014 22:11

Hospitals are most odd places. I had to unexpectedly stay with my son overnight a while ago. After being keep waiting and transferred here there and everywhere we finally arrived. I was shown a bed to sleep on. I had to read the instructions as to how to undo the bed and get it made up, then make the bed. We had no pyjamas or anything with us as it came as an emergency and because of the days goings on we hadn't really eaten since the morning. I was worn out. I was told that there was a kitchen where I could get him some toast and butter but that I wasn't allowed to get anything from there as I wasn't the patient. I had a terrible sleep. Apparently I wasn't supposed to leave my son alone on the ward but also I wasn't supposed to eat any bread from the kitchen. So basically I was supposed to starve! It was a very long 24 hours.

bigbluebus · 30/01/2014 22:12

Definitely not acceptable. DD has been in hospital many times and although I have heard of pillow shortages - everyone normally gets one pillow and I have never heard of patients not being given blankets - although admittedly you usually need more than one on a cold night as they use those waffle type blankets with holes in ( so we usually rake our own fleece blanket as DD feels the cold)
If the ward had run out of bedding, a member of staff should have gone to look for some. Definitely complain - there are clearly issues going on here which the staff feel unable to tackle themselves.

MsVelvet · 30/01/2014 22:14

This is ridiculous, i would go to PALS in the hospital and make a formal complaint, there is no reason for them not to have bedding, poor children!

Twattyzombiebollocks · 30/01/2014 22:15

Yanbu but I'm not surprised. My sister worked on a geriatric ward last year where they ran out of incontinence pads at least twice a month the day before a new delivery. They couldn't order more as there was money in the budget for them.

PansOnFire · 30/01/2014 22:15

YANBU, I'm sorry you had such an awful experience. Fortunately, the children's assessment unit and wards nearest to us are much more friendly, when DS was admitted for a stomach upset they couldn't have been more helpful. So far our experience of the NHS for little ones has been second to none. Care for adults, on the other hand, definitely not acceptable...

starfishmummy · 30/01/2014 22:15

Ds was in hospital a lot when he was younger. He used to regularly explode at both ends and getting clean sheets for his cot was a nightmare. I would always ask for the disposable bed protectors but rarely got them and (tmi) liquid poo on the thin sheets, on a waterproof mattress, just went everywhere.

They also had blankets were made of towelling fabric; I don't think I was the only parent to dry their child with a blanket!

redexpat · 30/01/2014 22:18

PALS. Definitley.

Sirzy · 30/01/2014 22:20

That is awful.

Whenever DS has been in hopsital bedding for children, and their parents, has never been an issue (-other than when parents steal pillows)

isitme1 · 30/01/2014 22:21

Im in a children's hospital atm and luckily hes been given a bed with adequate bedding. So have I
I did ask 4 different nurses for a pillow for myself and got 1 when they did the 2 hourly quality check (ask parents if they need anything and its all documented)

I am however still waiting for him to re-canulated
we've been waiting 2 hours. Hes fallen asleep which means he wont sleep at all later

I know a few hospitals have problems the best thing to do would be complain