To discharge myself from hospital?

[toldyouiwasill]

I’m desperate.

Admitted on Monday with ?appedicitis. Then told I had a UTI; possibly kidney infection. Then ended up catheterised. Then told my sats are too low (92-95) and that I’ve got a chest infection. Told I need a CT scan and a chest x Ray. A doctor came round at 4pm and told me I’d be given a nebuliser tonight and possibly oxygen. I can’t lie flat as I can’t breathe without wheezing, coughing to the point of vomiting.

Come night shift - nurses said they have zero record of that conversation and there’s nothing they can do. I haven’t slept more than four hours since Sunday. I haven’t got any water, I’m being left with a full catheter bag for 12-14 hours at a time. I’ve no idea what’s wrong and if I have got an infection it isn’t being treated. I’m so tired I’m hallucinating.

I’ve just asked the band 2 nurses for help and got snapped at. They’re sitting discussing Chinese takeaways.

I don’t know what to do. I live only a mile away. I keep thinking of packing up and going. I can buy a syringe from boots to take the catheter out. I don’t know what to do, I’m scared and desperate.

Do they not normally do obs twice a shift though? They finish in half an hour thank Christ. Staff nurse yesterday day time was amazing so am so hoping she’s on again today.

I’m sorry you are going through this 😞 it’s unacceptable and I agree with the pp who said you should record them. Ask for water, to have the catheter emptied and whatever else you need and record their reaction. Complain to pals asap.

Is there a friend or family member who can come advocate for you? There’s nothing worse than having to beg for help when you’re so unwell only to be treated with contempt.

It really makes my blood boil when I hear of something like this happening. I know the NHS is struggling and there are many dedicated staff who give their all. But in my personal experience and that of many others, there are also plenty who don’t want to lift a finger. And it seems to happen more often on night shifts 🙄

This is awful, OP. I have no experience of this so don't have any advice but I really hope you get the care you need soon. And the bloody water, what a disgrace that you're having to plead with them for a drink. Please do consider complaining when this is over. No-one should be treated like this. Overstretched and underfunded is one thing, losing all compassion and behaving unprofessionally is quite another.

Sending hugs and good wishes.

...and yes, I second the recording idea, even if just to jog your memory when you complain later.

It sounds like they have a toxic work culture going on with the band 2s Vs the band 5s etc. I love the concept of the NHS but it can be so so bad.

You type very well for someone in your level of distress. Maybe you’re coming across to the nurses much better than you think so they are dismissing your complaints.

So sorry you are going through this op.
I believe everything your saying as it sounds very similar to my experience which was 20+ years ago now!
I'm really glad your support worker is coming in and can advocate for you. Thank god because when you are poorly like this and at their mercy essentially, you are very vulnerable and really feel it.
Some ward's develop a really toxic culture in terms of attitude to the job/patients and it's not all because they're overstretched.
I wonder if you are in Withington hospital, that's where I had my awful experience. I was more traumatised by the care I got than the reason why I was in there which was a shocking traffic accident giving me serious wounds.
I hope you can get it quickly.
If you were my DD I'd drop everything to come and be with you, so do think about telling your family what's happening.

All the hospitals should have gone live with Martha's rule/call for concern. There should be a number you can ring for help.

This sounds awful op. Obs at my hospital are done routinely 4 hourly (more if patient scoring or concerned) how else would they be able to see if you’re deteriorating?!

Sounds bloody awful, I would still be making an official complaint to PALS and contacting the outreach team to assess you.

The only thing I will excuse is the mobile phone, where I work we all have the BNF app to access drug info to check the dose against the prescription. Its so much quicker & I don't think I've seen a BNF book on our wards for the last few years.

Sounds awful ok, I would definitely speak to PALs.

Start very openly writing things down, bullet points of what you’re being told and what’s happening or not happening. With dates and times, ask everyone for their names and add that. People may buck their ideas up.

can you empty the catheter bag yourself in the toilet or can you not get up? I know you shouldn’t have to.

Wait until the doctors come round, they usually come in the mornings and ask them for a plan. Don’t discharge yourself or you could cause yourself more issues down the line

Have you been given water yet op?

Are you not on a drip ?

can you get someone to go to the shop and get some bottled water for you? Or go down yourself?
if you have a possible kidney infection you needs lots of water through drip and orally.
either way - don’t leave .
good luck OP

Ward based care and on oxygen, you'd expect Obs at least 4 hourly. If a catheter is required for monitoring urine output, that should also be measured regularly so a trend can be seen. If the urine output doesn't need to be monitored, the catheter should be removed because it presents an infection risk.

I'd be wary of that, when I was on the ward there was a patient who was ex health care worker herself and was trying to hold them to account (very nicely I might add) and they made her a target to bully her. It was scary.

Nights in hospital when you feel dreadful drag on for eternity & that's without lack of care from the nurses.

You've had lots of good advice here & I agree stay put...Do you have a friend or family member who can come in today and advocate for you?

Hey OP I just wanted to send support. I have also been sexually assaulted in hospital by someone providing care and it makes going to hospital utterly horrific. Everybody says, "Nobody likes being in hospital." is you mention you don't like being there, or REALLY don't like being there. It's far more than that though. It's a whole other dimension of horrific, because you're by nature of being ill, vulnerable and dependent and when you're vulnerable and dependent on the category of people the perpetrator is from, and its not like it's one person, there are LOTS of them, coming and going, it's absolutely totally and utterly horrific. Add in symptoms of being ill, side effects of drugs or treatment, "sleeping" on a ward and it's a cocktail of hell that surpasses what many can imagine as their worst nightmare.

I'm glad you got the nebuliser this morning. That's the least you needed. Please report the nurses when you have the energy. Their treatment of you and the other patients and their attitudes are appalling.

Sadly some of your problems, and requests, may be overlooked as you are a mental health patient too. Diagnostic overshadowing. I’m shocked it takes days for something as basic as a chest x ray.

Yeah, just been given breakfast so roll/butter, cup of tea and a jug of water. Obs done as well, she said ‘the nebuliser calmed you down a bit, we came in an hour later and you were out for the count’, no shit, being able to breathe does tend to make you feel calmer.

She said I might get another one this morning. Am going to ask at round what the point in me being here is, as I’ve not been given anything beyond anti sickness, morphine/dihydrocodeine and laxatives. Did get 4 bags of IV on admission but they said that was because BP was too low.

They said yesterday main reason I’m being kept is desaturating but it’s taken 24 hours just to get that nebuliser.

I’d be happy to go home on oral antibiotics/meds for my chest, get more sleep and feel a lot calmer.

I'm so sorry you're going through this and echo advice from others, especially about contacting PALS this morning. If your done feel you're getting anywhere, find out the name of the Head of Nursing and get on touch with them. (Also, Band 2s aren't nurses - HCAs at best - speak to the nurse in charge of the ward asap this morning)

It sounds v tempting to go home and sleep but get some clarity on what tests they still want to do and when they will happen. If you get out the system you may find it v difficult to get them later.

Wishing you rest and recovery

If you're in the UK, it's not illegal to record someone without their knowledge -
they are in a public place and don't have a reasonable expectation of privacy. (How you then use the recording is where the law does come more into play).

I hope you're feeling a little better, OP, this sounds horrendous. Please make as big a fuss as you can - they need to help you

I have a senior role in an NHS Trust and am absolutely appalled at the lack of care. In hours you need to speak to the matron for your area. If they tell you he or she is not available ask for to see another matron from the Medicine team. There will always be one on site in hours, even if it is not the one directly responsible for your ward. Log your specific concerns re the catheter, your hydration and staff attitudes and behaviours. You could contact Pals but it may take a couple of days for them to escalate your concerns so won't be the most immediate response.

Out of hours the most senior nurse is usually called the Site Sister or Patient Flow Sister. In our place these marvels deal with all of the things out of hours, not just getting beds for patients. They will try and resolve complaints and have direct links into the senior nurses for the wards to get issues picked up.

Have you got someone at home who can advocate for you? A firm but polite discussion with the nurse in charge in hours may be really helpful wither over the phone or in person if they are able to come in. It is really shit that you would need this, and it makes me concerned around how very vulnerable people in that hospital get any support.
I hope you get some progress today.