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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

NHS and brother stabbed and released day later??

28 replies

Magtheridon · 03/10/2015 15:04

My brother is currently in the trauma ward after being admitted last night with a punctured lung, he'd been stabbed

So they've drained his lung and he's spent the night there and now they're on about letting him go?

Is a punctured lung not that serious then? I don't understand why he's not being kept in under observation for a week... I always thought something like that is pretty damn serious

OP posts:
Oysterbabe · 03/10/2015 15:05

I would assume the doctors know what they're doing.

Lweji · 03/10/2015 15:07

I'd be happy for him to go home. He's probably more at risk of a serious infection in hospital.

Original poster
Magtheridon · 03/10/2015 15:08

Ah but experiences have proved that most definitely isn't always the case oyster

OP posts:
Nonnainglese · 03/10/2015 15:08

He'll be better off up and about rather than laying around in hospital where he could end up with an infection.
So long as the lung has deflated he'll be fine.
It is a serious injury but generally doesn't warrant a week's observation.

Shakirasma · 03/10/2015 15:08

Hospitals are horrible, germy places that no one should spend a minute more than they have to in.

Punctured lungs are very serious untreated, but your brother's has now been repaired so he's no longer in danger. The doctors must feel there is no benefit to him to be kept in, so they're sending him him to recover more comfortably.

Nonnainglese · 03/10/2015 15:09

Reinflated, not deflated ruddy iPad

Original poster
Magtheridon · 03/10/2015 15:10

Ah okay thanks for replies, it just felt abit quick since its only one night he's been in

OP posts:
MrsTerryPratchett · 03/10/2015 15:11

Second the stuff about infection. Much better at home if possible. Does he have anyone at home to help out...

Scoobydoo8 · 03/10/2015 15:18

Possibly he needs to be upright for the lung to reinflate more easily rather than lying down, and moving around reduces blood clot risk. And getting out of hosp reduces risk of mrsa.

Doc should be able to explain stuff like this.

TheFairyCaravan · 03/10/2015 15:23

He's better off at home if he's well enough to be discharged.

I had major surgery one day and was discharged the next. The surgeon has operated on me 5 times now and is always shocked how well I do. This time I went downhill after I got home in terms of pain, but there was still no reason for me to go back to hospital and I would have felt a million times worse in a noisy, germy ward.

OurBlanche · 03/10/2015 15:23

It also depends on where in the lung, size of puncture, surfaces damaged etc.

The lungs are really good at self repair, the trick for the hospital is reinflation. Once that is done, in the absence of other factors, simple tlc measures are all that is needed.

Just make sure someone else is with him when they give him his marching orders, take notes ask question and stick to the rules.

elliejjtiny · 03/10/2015 15:31

It's quite common these days to be discharged quickly. My son had major surgery, 3 hours in theatre and home the next day. When I had my youngest 2 children there were women having C-sections and then going home 24 hours later.

Bubbletree4 · 03/10/2015 15:35

It's quite normal to go home ASAP.

Ds had an operation under general one afternoon and was home by 6pm.

NeedAScarfForMyGiraffe · 03/10/2015 15:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Manamanah · 03/10/2015 15:57

With armchair expertise like that I don't know why you bothered the hospital staff. Surely you could just have managed it yourself? Hmm

lougle · 03/10/2015 16:09

Discharge is getting faster and faster. It's a good thing as long as it's driven by patient condition rather than organisational pressures.

jacks11 · 04/10/2015 00:46

The punctured lung is serious and needs to be dealt with promptly. However, once they have treated the problem and chest drain is out there is really no need to keep him in hospital- assuming there are no other injuries/ complications which need to be treated and your brother is otherwise well. He will have warning signs to look out for in the unlikely event of recurrence.

Why do you think he needs to be in hospital for observation for a week? Patients who have had major surgery can often be home after 24 hours if surgery was straightforward and their pain is well controlled.

HappyMeerkat · 04/10/2015 01:02

my father had a heart attack/heart failure on december 28th. he literally had to be redirected to another hospital because his condition had a turn for the worst in the ambulance, he got to the hospital and they said it was touch and go. then in ICU/cardiac ward they said he would not be brought out of the medically induced coma that they put him into for about a week.

a doctor and nurse bought him to that day and he was out of hospital in 6 days, still suffering and confused, they literally left him in the cold outpatients reception in pyjamas waiting for medicine for 6-7 hours without phoning us to tell us he could be picked up. he suffered minor brain damage (which is seemingly getting worse but he's been fully discharged from all care now).

not sure if procedures are getting faster or they are more busy and literally trying to get patients out of hospital beds at any cost.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 04/10/2015 01:14

Two reasons, one more cynical (but nonetheless true for all that):

  1. they need the bed and he doesn't need it as much as a new patient, because he's already been patched up.
  2. they get him out the hospital, tick him off as a case done and dusted, so when he comes back in he'll be a new "case" (this is for the performance stats, so they can show reduced waiting lists and increased number of cases treated in a year) And also the whole "get him out of the germ-ridden environment asap" is true too. So long as he doesn't need round the clock care, he's better off at home.
MiscellaneousAssortment · 04/10/2015 04:28

I was told 'boomerang' re admissions were recorded separately and were viewed as a significant failure that sparked investigation?

Have no idea if that is true in all situations or contexts though. I was told that by a horrified doctor who overturned the incompetent arrogance of a specialist who'd tried to discharge me with paracetamol ONLY and without hospital transport, and told me patronizing I'd that 'I'd be fine, they have done this before you know, a few more times than I had'.... Wanker. I'm severely disabled, bed bound and cannot sit up for an hour even when as well as I can be. Oh and have to travel completely prone. And am permanently on morphine and a whole host of other heavy duty meds and would have been admitted for opiate withdrawal which can be fatal! But of course, as long as the pancreas blood tests are ok, I also get a miracle cure... Fucking arrogant wanker.

Anyway, point being, the two docs (both from different departments) who I saw after were horrified and said not only would I have been blue lighted back within hours, it would have sparked an internal investigation (& a lawsuit - not my suggestion btw!). I was kept in another 6 days by the way and ended up discharging myself as being in hospital was making me more poorly. So not exactly a close call, a stupidly wrong decision by an arrogant twat who I still need to write to PALs about.

Soooo, I don't have any particular faith your brother is well enough to be discharged, and would suggest he asks for a reason why, and checks the decision with the ward doctor/ specialist / whoever to ensure its clinically correct.

But if all are in agreement, I'd believe it's correct. Even with my bad experience!

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 04/10/2015 04:31

Misc - that may well be the case now, it wasn't when I worked in the NHS but that was some years ago - I do hope it has changed! Your situation sounds horrific, glad some sane doctors got to you before you were out the door Shock

GingerFoxInAT0phat · 04/10/2015 04:37

My partner has recently had a punctured lung and was kept in for 3 days. He also had some stitched in his lip that needed redoing whilst in.

The Drs said that lungs vary massively in how well/long they take to reflate and heal.

WhereTheFuckIsMyFuckingCoat · 04/10/2015 05:05

If he is well enough to be discharged (and I hope that's the case), you and he should welcome it with open arms.

I've just spent 11 days in hospital after major (9 hour) surgery, and even in my own private room I managed to contract c-diff, influenza B, the adenovirus, all of which caused me to be really really unwell, have fluid on one of my lungs which also partially collapsed. I honestly thought I was dying. Within four days of being home I felt like a new person (except for the pain from the surgery which couldn't be controlled as well at home as it could in hospital).

I'd gladly never spend another minute in hospital if I didn't have to, and I hope your brother doesn't either op.

It must have been a terrible shock for you though, I hope he recovers well. Flowers

LeaveMyWingsBehindMe · 04/10/2015 05:22

I know someone who got stabbed years ago and had a punctured lung and he was released the following morning as well.

Senpai · 04/10/2015 06:03

Well, if you think medically, infections come slowly. It's not going to turn into a life or death situation on the drop of a hat so there's not point in being around life saving equipment they won't need. Even if he did get an infection, the most they'd be able to do is give him antibiotics and admit him if it was severe enough to need to be cleaned with instruments.