Post-op wound care - district nurses

[Toothsil]

I recently had a hip replacement and when I was discharged, I was told a district nurse would come in 2 weeks and change the dressing, take the clips out etc. She came on Monday and did all that and said she'd come back next Monday and check it again because it hadn't fully healed yet. She said she was afraid she was unable to give me a narrowed down time and then added "but you won't be able to be going out anyway so it won't really matter".

I was just thinking afterwards- should I really be having the district nurse given that I AM going out for walks every day as advised by physio, and have been since 3 days after my surgery? I could go to the GP surgery and get one of the nurses there to do it. Granted I'm not allowed to drive yet and it would mean my husband finding time in his working day to take me over (he's WFH) but it would be possible. I feel bad taking up a space when there will be people who really need the home visits. Should I have thought about this before the first one? 🤔 I was in a post op haze of painkillers and sleeping a lot, and I just accepted what the hospital said about her coming out, and gave her the letter they said to pass on. I don't even know who I would contact to say I could go to the surgery for the next one because I don't think they're linked to our surgery.

Check your gp surgery can/will do the wound care before you say anything to the district nurses. It’s up to the hospital to arrange/provide wound care and your GP may not have the capacity to do it for you. If they can/will then ask them how to contact the DN to stand them down.

GPs are not funded to provide post-op wound care, so don't be surprised if they say no.

It's probably likely you will only need one more visit from the district nurse if they are reviewing you a week after your last visit.
Technically district nurses only see housebound patients so if care if likely to extend beyond next week you can discuss this with them and they could arrange and appointment at your surgery and then discharge you.
Did they not leave you a contact number in case there were any issues?

Ah OK, I just felt a bit bad if I was taking up time that someone truly housebound might need. Thank you for the replies.

@FlorencenotRatchet no, they didn't leave a number unfortunately.

@Purplewithred I wasn't sure if it was something the nurses in the surgery might do, there are a few whose responsibilities include wound care so I was just wondering and hoping I wasn't using valuable resources.

I had the district nurses after an operation (to give me the blood clot injections and change dressings) daily for 2 weeks. If I was out they rang my mobile! They turned up at random times. Since then they have turned up randomly to check on me. Seems odd not to arrange an appointment.