Has anyone ever had an abdominal drain on a weekend? My dad was only diagnosed a month or so ago if that and needs his second drain already.
Both times he’s been put forward/I’ve called it’s been a Thursday evening/Friday morning and he’s been admitted into hospital until the drain can be done on a Monday. He’s struggling to breathe with lack of abdomen space and it’s driving me crazy they don’t do them on weekends (I know it’s due to lack of staff in case of a complication etc) as in my opinion healthcare should be 24/7, not Monday-Friday!
I’m curious if this is all hospitals, or if it’s specific to ours. Hardly seems right #angry
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VickySusan
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Hi, I had my first drain done on a Friday night and my second on a Monday night by being admitted through A&E due to breathing problems. The others were planned for a certain morning but if he can't wait over the weekend I would ring an ambulance as they can do them at anytime but would prefer to do them when planned x
I used to have them roughly fortnightly but I haven't had one since February 2017 as they managed to get it under control with meds & fluid & salt restriction x
We only have a base hospital in Cairns so ours is mostly during the week BUT at least one nurse on duty 24/7 has to be trained how to do it. Surely if it is urgent, they can call someone in? They have had to call surgeons in for me to operate on a Mallory weis tear.
Yes, the weekend staff are trained, they’ve just said it’s in case anything goes wrong. I’m off to google a Mallory weis tear, I’m having a crash course in all things liver at present! thanks
Yes, he is in hospital. They admitted him when I called on Friday morning, as he is finding breathing difficult and not eating again. But the drain still won’t be done until Monday, as they run on a skeleton staff on a weekend and if there were complications occur during the drain, there’s not enough bodies to cover it. The hospital is in a very built up area, it’s not isolated.
I am sure if I’d really was life or death, it would happen no doubt. It’s just really difficult seeing him so uncomfortable
I have often waited in hospital over the weekend until a consultant can be seen Monday to arrange. Often happened Tuesday drain. Consultants should be available 7 days a week to make discharge quicker with no bed blocking.
Nothing really happens at the weekend at my hospital
This is it! Ours is the same, this is the second time he’s been taken in, taking up a bed whilst we count down until the week ‘starts’. Whereas if it were a weekday it would be that day, next day latest, and free up the bed quickly. I just struggle to get my head around the Monday-Friday mindset in healthcare
Perhaps! I know the NHS is underfunded and in crisis which I realise has an impact on staff levels etc. And in no way would I expect people to forgoe days off, or time with their own families. It seems to be the system that is broken (no surprise there)
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