Hello everyone,
Some of the feedback we have received from you over the last few months has been about moving wards during your admission to hospital.
It is not unusual for people who are admitted to hospital with an unexpected illness or injury to move wards. Most hospitals have Medical and Surgical Receiving wards where patients may stay for assessment and further investigations for periods of 24 -36 hours. Wishaw General Hospital also has Critical Care and specialty wards where very ill patients receive intensive and specialised care, before moving to a general ward when their condition stabilises and improves.
There are also times when patients may move from one specialty to another; for example, from a medical specialty to a surgical specialty ward. We try to avoid these moves whenever possible, but only move patients who have been assessed as stable and who are well enough to be moved.
Your safety and wellbeing is paramount. The Chief of Medicine, Chief of Nursing or the Hospital Director hold a “Safety Huddle” every day at 08:30am and 1pm. Doctors, nurses, therapists and staff from estates and support services attend. We consider the safety of the whole hospital which includes:
- Significant and adverse events
- Staffing levels
- The number of beds available in all wards
- The number of people who are not in a specialty ward
- The number of patients scheduled for admission to hospital and those scheduled for discharge
- Environment and estates issues (cleanliness and buildings)
We realise that moving between wards can be an anxious time and clear communication with our patients and their relatives or carers is vitally important. We make every effort to transfer patients during the day and to contact the nominated next of kin when a decision to transfer has been made.
If you have an experience of Wishaw General Hospital you would like to share please speak to a member of staff, respond on Patient Opinion, or visit the “Your Feedback” Section of the NHS Lanarkshire website to see the other ways to get in touch www.nhslanarkshire.org.uk
Moving between wards safely
Moving between wards safely https://patientopinion.blob.core.windows.net/profile-pictures/0ceff8d8-1fb1-4652-bca5-540b81d9c196.jpeg Care Opinion 0114 281 6256 https://www.careopinion.org.uk /content/uk/logos/co-header-logo-2020-default.pngUpdate from NHS Lanarkshire
Posted by Gillian McAuley, Chief of Nursing Services, University Hospital Wishaw, NHS Lanarkshire, on
About: NHS Lanarkshire
Response from RDR on 3 Jun 2015 at 10:19
Your description of what happens in Wishaw DGH, is not one that I recognise as a carer for an elderly relative with dementia, who was moved 3 times in the space of a week and a half, last year. We received little in explanations for these moves and met defensive reactions from nursing staff when we challenged them. On the last ward she was on, whilst there were elements of such behaviours thankfully the Consultant and a member of senior nursing staff were more helpful and supportive, as were HCAs, junior nursing staff in the main were not.
Response from Gillian McAuley, Chief of Nursing Services, University Hospital Wishaw, NHS Lanarkshire on 4 Jun 2015 at 10:46
Dear RDR,
We realise that being in hospital is unsettling for patients with dementia and I’m sorry to read of your families experience last year, our safety huddle was introduced 6 months ago to address some of what you describe. We have recently introduced a “forget-me-knot” system for staff which aims to reduce and avoid transfers of patients with dementia between wards. We are working hard to reduce anxiety and agitation experienced by patients with dementia whilst in hospital and have introduced a “club” which we encourage those who are able to attend daily; you can read about that in my March blog “Improving care for older adults”.
I’m pleased to hear you felt supported by the Consultant, some of the nurses and the HCA’s (called Clinical Support Workers now), but really disappointed to hear of the lack of communication and support from “junior nursing staff”. I will share your feedback with my Senior Nurse for Older Adults and with all my Senior Charge Nurses (Ward Managers) at our weekly meetings, so that this can be addressed.
Kind Regards,
Gillian