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.

I’m so very sorry to read what you’ve been through @JustEatTheOneInTheBallPit

My own Dd went through a similar experience where her baby almost didn’t survive due to huge errors by musical staff. She also made complaints and found that her notes contained bare faced lies. It’s so disheartening to know there are people within the NHS who would behave this way.

Something needs to change in the NHS and quickly.

@slore Alright love bloody hell 😂 It isn't completely nonsense, as far as I'm aware it is considered unlawful because although you're recording in a public place you are recording someone while they are working without their permission or knowledge. I hope you're right though because some evidence for OP to hand over to PALS would be excellent.

Call the police?
Empty the urine bag on the floor?

What the fuck is wrong with some of you?!??!!

I'm glad you're on the mend OP.

I spent all of Christmas and New Year sitting with my very ill husband in hospital. The mistakes that were made in his care was daily. Wrong drug dosages, consultants getting the wrong end of the stick, sending him for tests totally irrelevant to his care. giving him stuff he was allergic to. I had PTSD from it for weeks and he's still unwell.

He saw a different consultant every day he was there and they all had different ideas on how he should be treated and kept changing his medication daily. It was terrifying.

I am taking legal action for the way I have been treated. I haven't earned a penny since 2016 and I started work when I was 15.

If I ever get well I will spend every waking minute of my life doing everything I can to stay well and out of the hands of the NHS. It's all smoke and mirrors as far as I can tell.

This is an excellent update. Well done that roommate.

OP is in a very vulnerable position and her needs were being blatantly neglected. The police are being called to NHS hospital wards on an alarmingly regular basis these days as some nurses seem to have failed to read the ‘caring’ part of the job description and force their patients to needlessly suffer.

I assume you’ve never had a full catheter before? It’s extremely uncomfortable and puts the patient at risk of bladder infections, OP would’ve been well within her rights to take drastic action considering the nurses were refusing to do their bloody job properly

This is why I wouldn’t think twice about reporting to police on 101 and recording either voice or video. So there is a record of what is happening outside of the hospital machine.
Nurses told neighbour his wife had had “a good night” when she had died - coroners court after investigation it cane up that she hadn’t.

I’m so sorry to read what you’re going through and I can absolutely sympathise having had a couple of awful spells in hospital myself. The first one I was admitted with swine flu, couldn’t breathe at all (asthma), I was on oxygen for 3 days then they tried me off it, I felt I needed some ventolin after a while and it took 8 hours plus requests from me, my parents and husband at visiting time then a call from my husband in the evening before it arrived. I also started my period and they said I couldn’t have any underwear with the catheter (which I know to be a lie - I wasn’t with-it enough at the time to remember I’d had underwear with a catheter after my c-section), I bled all over the sheet, a nurse got angry with me for that, she changed the sheet in a mood and gave me a pad just to stick between my legs but that did no good. It was a male nurse in the end who was the one to help, he brought me some disposable underwear and a supply of pads and was disgusted at how I’d been treated.

The other time I had a hip replacement and was denied any painkillers other than paracetamol all night, I was crying and begging the nurse for something stronger and she kept refusing because she said I looked “pale and clammy and may not tolerate anything stronger”. I looked like that because I was in the worst pain of my life, made even worse by the fact that I’d not been able to get up and walk around because the physios had gone home, so my leg was totally stiff. I’d already had the other hip done and my experience was nothing like that. I had excellent care the first time and was kept well covered with painkillers.

I really hope you get sorted out soon, there’s nothing worse than being stuck in hospital feeling ill and helpless and everything is out of your control.

I don't doubt she wasn't receiving good care but that doesn't justify calling the police. And you're talking shite, the police are not attending hospital wards on a regular basis.

Yes I've had a catheter before, And with all respect I expect I know far more about catheter care than you do.

The OP was obviously thirsty but hardly dehydrated if she'd filled a 2 litre night bag. Her bag should have been emptied but that in itself is not a reason to empty it over the floor as one poster suggested.

All these shouts of 'she's being neglected' - she's had X-rays, obs, IVs, antibiotics, oral and nebulised meds, a shower and food and drink.

Complain about substandard care of course but stop making hyperbolic claims.

How exactly do you know that you’re far more knowledgeable on catheter care than I am? I am a HCP - it’s part of my day to day job never mind having one myself on far too many unpleasant occasions.

The police were called (and justifiably so) to a ward that I’d previously worked on a few weeks ago. The patient’s care was being severely neglected and the nurse involved has now been suspended. The family did the right thing for the wellbeing and safety of their relative.

There are no hyperbolic claims - OP was left without her basic needs met and that is completely unacceptable. No patient should ever be left to go thirsty and wait for their catheter to overflow

Apologies @goldenretrievermum5 , I shouldn't have made such assumptions.

Many posters made hyperbolic claims, and as I've said her care wasn't good overnight. I am saddened and shocked to read you've had such poor nursing on a ward you've worked on. In all my years I have never seen police on a ward, only in ED.

The police are being called to NHS hospital wards on an alarmingly regular basis these days

Rubbish. No they're not. Poor nursing is not a police matter. There may have been one extreme case you've seen but to say there called regularly??

The only time you'll see police on a ward is watching a patient who's been arrested.

I’ve seen it with my own eyes and heard about it from other HCPs. Maybe not in your part of the country but it’s certainly becoming increasingly common here. 10 years ago I too would’ve called bollocks if someone said that the police had been called to a ward but it’s the sad reality of just how bad things have gotten

How difficult or time consuming is it to fill a water jug and give it to a patient?

It’s very cruel to leave a bed bound patient thirsty and just decide you’re not going to bother to get them a drink so they can be comfortable.

When I was in hospital I was snapped at by staff saying they were “too busy” to refill patients water jugs as they were short staffed. One of my room mates (who wasn’t constrained by drips/machinery) took pity on us and refilled all the water jugs for us all.

Is there someone who can come in to advocate for you, OP? A partner, a sibling or friend?

That’s awful. Patients shouldn’t have to rely on other patients to provide the basic requirements of life.

It was during Covid so no visitors were allowed. Less unwell patients were basically providing support to those unable to get out of bed. It was hideous. I’d never felt so scared or vulnerable in my life and was recovering from life threatening complications from a routine op. I am normally able to advocate quite adequately for myself but being that unwell strips you of all that ability.

Reading the OPs comments literally have given me chills as that was the kind of callousness I experienced from some of the HCPS too. I was told I was a “silly baby” by a staff nurse when I complained about painful blood tests, and a HCA finally stripped my bed at 4am (waking me up) when I’d asked for clean sheets and a gown as mine were blood soaked, and I’d been left in them all day and all night! I’m outraged some PPs seem to think she is some kind of drama queen as this shit happens!!!

My daughter told me a load of the “mean girls” at her sixth form college had gone off to do nursing degrees which kind of says it all!! I’m not saying this is all nursing staff by the way, but in the two weeks I was incarcerated in that place I experienced and witnessed some extremely cruel behaviour.

I don’t think the OP had had those things at the time though despite needing them.

The OP’s treatment is an absolute mile away from the treatment I received for what sounds like something very similar last week.

Uni support worker came up, took me for a walk to the shop and made sure I got some stuff to do me the weekend (magazines, books, toiletries etc). Had a chat with the band 6 who said odds are I’m staying the weekend, might get home earlier but they’re thinking better to stay where I am.

She explained re mental health and said are they aware of complex history and family circs etc - nurse said they’re fully aware, it’s just managing anxiety and said difficult giving diazepam on top of opioids when sats already down. Said worst thing I can do when short of breath is to start panicking as just makes it worse.

Didn’t realise how tired I am until trying to walk down but managed it (about 1000 steps) so all good. Support worker is wonderful, love her to bits.

That's really good, I hope you're feeling better now. If you're not being discharged today then it will be Monday at the earliest, discharges don't happen at the weekend. X

Yeah they’ve just been round and said I’m in until at least Monday. Gutted. Should be relieved as they’re taking seriously but just shattered.

Then you can rest op

@toldyouiwasill it's good they're keeping you, you may find it very hard to sleep at home anyway with your chest, but if you get any more poor treatment please act swiftly. Is there anyone you could call who could visit and kick up a stink?

The day nurses told me to hang onto my nebuliser and show it tonight, have done so fingers crossed. Back to wheezing/tight again. Don’t know why it only happens at bedtime.