A personal account of a recent hospital stay that led the author to wonder how many 60-plussers have experienced discomfort in similar circumstances
“A recent hospital experience left me with a feeling of general discomfort when it comes to being cared for in a hospital environment. The experience ended in my discharging myself early from hospital after an incident that left me distressed and traumatised. I believed that I could not continue my treatment in an environment that I considered to be toxic”.
This incident led to much self-reflection, as well as reflection around the hospital system and specifically the care in general, reflection on how many 60-plussers have experienced uncomfortable hospital stays, or experienced distress and trauma while in hospital. However, after speaking to many people about the incident I experienced, I realised that this is not a stand-alone issue. The majority of people I spoke to had experienced much the same or had family or friends who had experienced something similar. Some had reported their experiences to their doctors or the hospital they attended. The majority of cases that I have been told about have gone unreported and undetected. I am grappling with the reason why? Is it because one doesn’t want to make a fuss? Is it because the feeling of discomfort appears to be trivial in the major scheme of things? Is it because one is afraid of reprisal from those who are caring for you?
I’m sure we all agree that the majority of nurses are very professional in their approach. They are kind and helpful and likely to be tired and stressed. They have a huge workload – one understands that. They have competing priorities and many patients to look after. I would venture to say that most of us go out of our way to be courteous and pleasant in our requests – why wouldn’t we?
We also need to remember that most patients are vulnerable when they are in hospital. They are there because they are either very sick, or having some kind of procedure/operation. All they are needing is to be treated with care and with dignity. And if you are not cared for in this way, then what to do about it?
After much reflection and research, we believe that the following is the best way to deal with situations such as this:
If you believe that you are not getting the care you deserve, or you are unhappy with how you are being treated, then you need to speak up. We are not suggesting that you complain about everything – that’s unrealistic, given the number of patients in a ward. But speak up if you believe you need to. If it’s uncomfortable to speak to the nurse – possibly because she/he is the source of the problem, then take the issue to the sister who manages the staff in that unit. If that doesn’t help, then ask to speak to the Unit Manager or the Patient Experience Manager. Don’t brush things under the carpet – every patient should be afforded dignified care while in hospital.
Other good advice received via a retired nursing sister, and a counsellor, is to ensure you have an advocate when you are admitted to hospital. If you are in pain, medicated, and not thinking clearly, then you need someone who is concerned for your well-being who can spend time with you while you are in hospital, acting as your advocate. This could be a spouse, a son or daughter, a family member or friend. A good health advocate is a person who knows you well, someone who is calm, assertive and can ask questions or make requests on your behalf and ensure that you are receiving patient-centred care.
We would love to hear about your experiences in hospital, good or not so good. Please either use the comments section below, or send us an email – info@youve-earned-it.co.za.
Author: Marilyn Hallett, YEI
I had a bad experience in May this year at a very reputable Medi clinic. I was in isolation and was almost left alone. My Pulmonologist changed my meds and I kept asking staff when they will administer it they kept blaming the pharmacy for taking long. By nightfall I was told I had it as it was signed off. I never had it as I am extremely careful of taking cortisone or steroids late in the day as its a stimulating meds. It appears they investigated it and the sister signed it off …there was an investigation but how many older folk get neglected I keep asking myself. Be vigilant if you are admitted to hospital
Absolutely agree. I spent some days in a well-known hospital in Johannesburg where the noise levels were totally unacceptable. People were allowed to have visitors any time, often for hours at a time and more often than not, there were several visitors (up to eight on one horrendous occasion). Most of the nurses were caring and efficient, but i had to ask for my bed to be changed (after three days). There is no respect for the sick who might need peace and quiet. Cellphones were used often and noisily. If you’re in hospital – turn the damn things off!
In the interests of confidentiality, YEI will be posting comments from readers on this topic, without the YEI member names
Absolutely agree. I spent some days in a well-known hospital in Johannesburg where the noise levels were totally unacceptable. People were allowed to have visitors any time, often for hours at a time and more often than not, there were several visitors (up to eight on one horrendous occasion). Most of the nurses were caring and efficient, but i had to ask for my bed to be changed (after three days). There is no respect for the sick who might need peace and quiet. Cellphones were used often and noisily. If you’re in hospital – turn the damn things off!
In the interests of confidentiality, YEI will be posting comments from readers on this topic, without the YEI member names
I am currently dealing with one such case.
One of the Seniors (85) that shares our home fell on Thursday. She was in great pain and there was urgency. I arranged for paramedics to assist. Eventually two teams were needed. She was taken to the local hospital. After X-rays the diagnosis was “fractured femur”. She was transferred at 03:00 to a surgical hospital.
One week later she is still lying on a bed in great pain STILL awaiting an operation to repair the fracture. We were in cell contact until yesterday. Now I can’t contact her. Have just sent data via remote in case this is the problem.
Patient reports great abuse by the nursing staff! An international visitor witnessed this mishandling/abuse and notified me.
It further illustrates the point of your excellent article. Patient has no family in SA and no health insurance. A dreadful situation.
The story goes on-and-on. Patient is traumatised and not being nourished. We can’t visit at this time.
Thanks for the excellent article.
My 84 old husband was admitted to a Discovery Health recommended hospital for a small procedure.
His treating doctor prescribed Stillnox.
During the same night, he fell out his bed, smashing his head, ripping the skin from his arm, also ripping his drip and catheter out.
The trauma doctor ordered an x-ray of the skull, which indicated, frontal soft tissue swelling, with no obvious cranial vault fracture.
If an intra-cranial injury is suspected, consider multiplanar C T imaging. NO SCAN WAS EVER CONSIDERED
Early next morning, I was very shocked to find him with head and arm bandaged, very agitated and complaining of a severe headache. He was confused, hallucinating, accusing the nursing staff of pulling him from his bed and kicking him in the head. On questioning the ward sister as to what happened, she simply said he had a fall. He was sent for x-ray which confirmed no skull damage. No concussion test had been done and 2 Panodo were administered for his headache. He was then wheeled off to theatre for the planned operation and the next day, he was discharged. A wheel chair was provided as he was very unstable on his feet and very confused.
He continued to complain of headache, sore shoulders and neck. He was unable to lie flat, so slept the night in an upright position on the couch.
There was huge bruising to the right temple and continued headache, He ate very little, drank lots of water and slept most of the day sleeping.
By early evening he started with high fever, which saw him being rushed to the ER, where his treating urologist received and had him admitted back to the ward. I was advised by his doctor, that more x-rays, CT scans and MRI’s were done to try and find the cause of dangerously high fever, without success. I requested that they check his neck, as he was experiencing a lot of pain.
The CT scan unhinged, revealed FRACTURE OF ANTERIOR & POSTERIOR ARCH OF C1. Commonly known as the hang mans break. A hard collar was immediately fitted and he was returned to the ward. The neurosurgeon advised that due to his age, an operation was out of the question and he would have to live with the neck brace. That same afternoon, his urologist advised that he was discharging his patient. Not a single word of advice, from any doctor on guidance even therapy for the after care for this very serious injury, which would need 24 hour care. The patient was abandoned, the doctors simply washed their hands of him. The 24 hour nurse appointed to be at his bedside, was constantly absent from her post and his doctor, although visiting his other patients, totally ignored his injured patient!
I appealed to hospital management for help to have him moved to a step down hospital until I could arrange for home care. Through Discovery, arrangements for his transfer by ambulance to a rehab hospital was arranged. During the 7 hours it took to have him moved, there was not a single visit from any doctor or ward sister, no meal or refreshment served. His medication was administered by me. I also had to insist that the dirty nappy be changed before transfer. The paramedics were not informed of the broken neck, so no neck support was used to transfer patient to the gurney, causing him excruciating pain. Upon leaving, I was presented with a discharge form stating patient was leaving in a stable condition, for signature, which I signed without reading. The whole situation had traumatised me immensely and had me in floods of tears. To add insult to injury, I received 31 consecutive “Dear patient SMS’s remind to thank anyone who has cared for you during your stay”!!
The rehab hospital, was a breath of fresh air, the staff were so gentle and caring. They gave detailed information of procedures and had weekly Family meetings, to report on patient progress, by the doctors and therapists. I was given a list of requirements for the new patient. I felt happy that things would improve and I could have my husband home soon. Sadly, he succumbed to his injury in 3 painful weeks in April 2022. The cause of death on certificate indicated, Condition leading to immediate cause of death —– CERVICAL SPINE FRACTURE
To date his urologist has not so much as inquired as to the whereabouts of his patient, who was due to have returned to his rooms for removal of the catheter after 6 weeks in 2022. It took 5 months for the hospital to submit the incident report that I had requested at inception. It is riddled with lies and coverups!
My reach out to Discovery Health, appealing directly to Dr Ryan Noach via his “hospital Survey feedback”, was intercepted and I was advised that Discovery health is not in a position to directly assist and I should submit a formal complaint and complete and return the attached form to them, which they would forward to the Complaints manager for investigation and would give me feedback. My pleas for feed back to Discovery on several occasions fell on deaf ears, as did my complaints to Netcare group, under which the offending hospital falls.
This whole saga as well as having to deal with the deceased estate matters, has caused my health to suffer and has caused high blood pressure,
so I have had to step back from pursuing matters further. But I would like to see this hospital removed from the preferred group of hospitals recommended by medical aid companies.