Published
1) Caffeinated beverages (for the patients and visitors, of course). I'm so tired of people drinking a liter of Dr. Pepper and then complaining that they can't sleep. Conversely, the people that request a sleeping pill and then an hour later request a coke or cup of coffee.
2) Cable television. Instead, I think there should be a health care version of pay per view that forces people to watch documentaries about their respective primary issues and comorbidities.
Any other ideas?
I was just in the hospital last week. It was a public hospital, no fancy menus, food just arrived.I was not supposed to have caffeine for 24 hrs before the stress test. I was served Iced Tea at both lunch and dinner. I no longer have caffeine after about 2 pm anyway, it keeps me awake. I drank so much water those 2 days that I was floating. Or wish I could have, all the way to the bathroom!
My hospital just switched to outsourcing the dietary dept. duties. Our administration, in a fit of rage after the union voted themselves raises last year, vowed to be rid of most of the union workers. Posted memos and such, very bold memos.
Now, what they don't get is, when you give up control of some dept. to an outside company, you GIVE UP CONTROL. Completely. Quality will drop in a drastic way and reliability will be null and void. Every day will be a "whatever it takes to get the day done" mentality with the dietary dept. once they move in. There will be one standard food/tray cooked for each meal time and it will be served to everyone.........don't even bother putting in diet orders...........no one is listening.
Meanwhile, the hospitals surrounding us, our competition, had the insight to keep control of their dietary dept. The patients have more options and there is more of a "service" approach. Coffee and newspapers are delivered one hour before breakfast if the pt. requested it the night before. There are FOUR.............4.........choices each dinner that a pt. can choose from.
It all depends on where you go I guess. I can't believe how badly my hospital dropped the ball on this one.
I would like to ban rude visitors, small children who scream and play in the halls unattended, call lights, and smelly feet. Of course, many years ago my preceptor told me that if you remove the shoes for any unnecessary reason, you get what you deserve, lol.
While I'm at it, can I just go ahead and ban spandex as well? Unless you are competing in an athletic event, it does you no favors. Just saw a rather fluffy woman recently in the ER with silver spandex pants and could have performed a visual gyne exam. And let's not forget the slippers as shoes.
And yes, I did have a very, very bad night.
Whether or not the OP is being sarcastic, there are some things that make me think, "WHA?!"
For example, on our cardiothoracic surgery floor, we have folks who (*EVERYDAY*) bring their loved ones a big mac and a double of fries...while the patient is on an LVAD...caused by the same lifestyle choices. hmmmm....isn't that like sneaking cigarettes to a person with COPD? While it may be a comfort food, it seems like a "teachable" moment we are missing.
Other things to ban:
Surgeons' god complex. Someone told me something shocking once (not to do with work) while I was in an OR working, causing me to respond with "Oh my God!" The surgeon turned around and said "Yes?" This is the same surgeon who wanted me to start his non-urgent case after hours when we were already beyond maxed out on staff/anesthesia because of multiple traumas. Actually called the administrator at home, who called me and didn't quite get that there was no one left to call in so that he could get his case done and go home to celebrate his anniversary/birthday/whatever special day it was.
Patient visitors in the waiting room who try to force their way into the OR (why else would we be locked down 24/7?) because the surgeon told them the surgery would take 1 hour, and ohmigod, it's been an hour and 15 minutes. (Now if the surgeons would only tell them that's for their part, never mind that the patient has to go to sleep, lines inserted, positioned and prepped, and oh yeah, wake up?)
Parents who come into preop with their kids, who have been NPO and can't really understand why, who are stuffing their faces with really smelly food in front of these poor kids (and me, who hasn't had a chance to take a break and wolf down dinner yet).
OK, this has to be cultural.
In my hospital here in Canada, we don't give you a menu to pick your food, you get the meal of the day. If you have relgious or health restrictions we follow them. The only soda pop found on the unit's are the odd can of ginger ale for those feeling queasy. In our patient kitchens its debags and Sanka for coffee.
If you need a pop, get your family to bring it in or better yet, haul yourself out of bed to the vending machine is what one co-worker actually said to a memorable patient.
It's always a joke among us when we have an American brought in. Where's the menu? Where's my private room, where is... We just smile, tell them it's a hospital and you are there to get better not go on vacation.
Oh, I'd so ban visitors, if I had the power. But we do enforce the "it's time to go home" announcement.
Oh boy Americans would HATE UK hospitals then Same here. You get two food choices. We don't serve sodas. We mostly still have wards not private rooms (siderooms are reserved for either infectious patients or dying ones).
Patients only get TV if they can go to the day room. We certainly don't have cable or satellite TV.
Half of nursing in the US seems to be these hotel services. As our patients get this stuff (admittedly poor quality) for nothing it's not such a big issue.
Oh boy Americans would HATE UK hospitals thenSame here. You get two food choices. We don't serve sodas. We mostly still have wards not private rooms (siderooms are reserved for either infectious patients or dying ones).
Patients only get TV if they can go to the day room. We certainly don't have cable or satellite TV.
Half of nursing in the US seems to be these hotel services. As our patients get this stuff (admittedly poor quality) for nothing it's not such a big issue.
Yup, my hospital operates the same way. A couple of units still have 4bed wards, the remainder are semis. Each unit has a couple of privates. And we reserve them for Palliative/Compassionate Care or infectious patients. Usually staff get a private because we assume they have been exposed to everything and nobody wants to risk the chance of sharing a room with somebody that might have been their patient.
Had one yesterday that demanded a private room (he'd be in all of 23 hours by the time he was discharged). Without thinking I went "no chance, unless you're terminal or infectious". I guess I'll be chatting with the boss next week.
netglow, ASN, RN
4,412 Posts
Then you got those who want to allow grandpa to have dairy... because it's a kindness.
Grandpa is dairy sensitive... VERY dairy sensitive.
Grandpa doesn't do well at all with ice cream/whip cream at home either, does he.
Matter of fact Grandpa usually is a little constipated as his norm ...NOT WHEN HE HAS ICE CREAM.
(volume!!!! frequency!!!)