Do nursing staff not wash patients anymore or change sheets?

[keepswimming38]

My daughter has been admitted to hospital with meningitis. She’s on an infectious diseases ward. I’ve been by her side most of the day for 3 days and despite her not being able to move as she is so weak, not one nurse has asked her if she wants to freshen up, have a wash, change her sheets. I’ve done it for her. Is this usual? The nurses are sat next to their little computer trolleys, or chatting at nurses station, so not all run off their feet I would say.

She absolutely should be washed and the bedding changed.

Go to the nurses station, and ask them to explain to you why it is not being done regularly.

Because they’re nurses/HCAs and you’d think caring for their patients would be part of their job. Someone should be changing the sheets, gowns etc.

Then its probably too stressful to move her.

Totally depends on the ward I’ve found. I’ve got a relative who has frequent hospital stays and the care she receives depends on the ward she ends up on. Some she is washed and nighties changed and hair brushed, but one ward in particular she is more or left abandoned by the nurses and seems to get no personal care at all.

The time on the ward is very limited to do basic nursing compared to a few years ago.

It’s not the culture in UK healthcare to just expect relatives to do personal and housekeeping care. To do so is a lapse in standards, unless it’s been pre arranged with a relative that they want to do so.

When the ll in hospital you shouldn’t need to ‘advocate for yourself’. Proper care including sheet changes and personal hygiene should be given by default.

So I'm supposed to take a t shirt over a cannula that is sending insulin, saline solution and possibly antibiotics into a vein, and then what! I can't dismantle the cannula can I!? I can't stop any of the life saving fluids going into the body. What is so hard to understand about that?

Nonsense. Sheets can be changed while the patient remains in bed.

I have an adult disabled child so have spent too much time in different hospitals during his lifetime.

The sheets should be changed regularly and patient washed every day. Reality is it depends on the ward and how many staff they have.

We’ve been on wards that run like clockwork and are very efficient. However, we’ve also been on wards where staff are run off their feet giving meds or changing dressing etc, then the HCAs are taking obs and neither have time to change sheets.

As parents, you are expected to attend to personal care yourselves and that includes changing sheets. We are very experienced in rolling our son (without hurting our backs) but I would imagine most parents would not know where to start without taking the patient out of bed.

OP, I hope your daughter gets better soon.

Which hospital is she in? DH was in recently for an elective surgery and was for the most part very well looked after including washing. But the ward was strictly orthopaedic only, and not full. It was overall a very good nhs experience. He’s had surgery done privately before and this wasn’t very different. Hospitals and wards vary greatly. Sadly we’ve had lots of experience. If you are there with her ask for help, or what the process is regarding washing and bedding changes.

Yes, this too, absolutely

I think it depends. She has an acute illness.

Can you really not see the problem with the provision of personal care in hospital being dependent on patients being able to advocate for themselves?

“From what I have seen nursing went to pot when they made it a degree course…….”
I fully agree . The same thing happened in Ireland.

(Oops, quoted wrong post)
I was a nurse back in the 1980s, and it was seen as an important part of patient care, not just for cleanliness, but infection control, looking for signs of skin breakdown, bedsores etc.

I had enough stays in hospital last year to get frequent flyer points! Clean sheets every day. HCA got me to the bathroom.
You need to be more vocal. Ask for washing items and clean sheets ( of course you'll need to get help to get your DD into the chair).

I get that you'll be worried and frightened but the hospital needs to do it's job.

It seems to be now due to staff shortages. I was outright told when my son was in hospital that they don't have enough staff to do personal care and it is the responsibility of the parents.

They did all of the medical stuff but washing, brushing teeth, changing sheets, toileting etc was all for parents to do.

it was the same 40 years ago when our DSs were in and out a lot with chronic asthma. Nurses chatting at their station, kids crying and dirty.

The worst time was when my Dad was in hospital following a heart bypass. he was improving well so was moved to a different ward to free up his bed. He was next to an old man who was, sadly obviously at end of life. He had defecated and the small was vile. Dad said he'd been like that for at least an hour. I went to the nurse's station where they were sitting and chatting and told them - although the whole ward stank and thy must have known.

They said there was no ancillary available and it wasn't their job. I said I'd wait until the man's family arrived and tell them how long they'd left him lying in his own shit. They changed him.

If she’s too weak to move won’t washing her and changing the bed be traumatic?

I am in Scotland, and that’s not been my recent experience. The HCA’s change the sheets every day, if the patient is mobile. Otherwise ,it will be less frequently as it will need 2 of them to move the patient.

My MIL was in an acute geriatric ward and was not even changed into a nightie.

Her soiled trousers were swopped for hospital pj bottoms, but she lay in the bed , in her blouse and cashmere, with her ‘pearls’ round her neck for two days until DH & I could get to her.

We were told by the Dr that she should be capable of showering herself. A 90+ year old with heart failure.

So no, some parts of Scotland are no better.

Op, hope your daughter gets well soon. Must be a scary time for you both 💐

I hope your dd gets better soon OP - and dont be scared to stand up for her, you dont have to be rude or aggressive about it - just ask thr nurse what the procedure is for cleaning/sheet changes as you've noticed nothings being done.... then when you know how often it should be done, be annoying until it is done.

So I haven’t seen a health care assistant. Actually someone just walked in to say they are checking the yellow needle bin . They check things like that but no one has asked her if she has eaten, if she has had her bowels moved. I’ve come in early as I just don’t trust they are doing the basics quite honestly!

Are you sure they're not doing it when they're not there? I would always do patients prior to visiting times. You say she can't really move or talk has she had a poop in them 3 days?
why've you not spoken to the staff?
its easy to say they're sat at computers not rushed off their feet, thats what you see that's not what they're doing. We do all our patient jobs in the morning (you know washes, meds, dressings ect) then catch up with notes when patients are less likely to need you- such as visiting times)

There are ways to move a bedbound patient so they can be washed and have a fresh bed. OP would need help though, it's usually a 2 person job.

Find out who her named nurse is, they should do rounds when shift changes and introduce themselves, and ask about washing and bed changes. They are trained to change sheets without the patient needing to be out of the bed.