Icu

[Mactravel]

When I was moved to a regular ward from icu no one seemed to understand how I’ll i had been. I wasn’t able to walk ? Go to the toilet , even lift anything. I was still having to be fed. If my parter hadn’t came In i wouldn’t have had food. There seemed to be no communication between icu and the ward. I would suggest a kind of handover of care and an explanation of what the patient requires. I went from 24 hr care to being one of many and in fairness to nurses there were busy. I literally couldn’t do a thing but these nurses didn’t know. It was awfulxx

[Sepsur]

I quite agree with you. Stepping out of ICU into the wards is like stepping off a precipice, later, discharge from hospital was equally bewildering & scary. There are support groups out there.

icusteps.org/support

[sheila21]

Sorry your transition was so hard. I was lucky to be put in an incredible room on my own with an en suite toilet with such attentive staff I felt so well cared for. I tried to use crutches with varying success and made steady progress with their help. The district nurses called every day when I got home which was amazing. We were snowed in adter a week at home when no one could get their car to us so they rang twice a day to check on me. Long live the NHS!!!

Best wishes

Sheila xx

[Dabofoppo]

Sounds like there was a breakdown in communication in the nhs at least there is a handover although it can be as short as a 2 minute chat your needs should be written into the notes and any staff that need to be aware of it should be. If your needs aren't being met theres usually a buzzer to get someone to help you although this is useless if communications an issue

[LesAnne]

Unfortunately I have to agree with you. I was in ICU in one hospital for 2 weeks then stepped down to HDU where within 24 hours I again became life threateningly ill. I had to be transferred to a different hospitals ICU with a full medical team in attendance.

When I was eventually moved to a regular ward they knew nothing about my stay in the first hospital. It was my family who told them. Prior to discharge I was taken to the discharge lounge where my husband found me slumped in a chair. It transpired I shouldn’t have been taken to the discharge lounge because of the length of time I had been in hospital and the seriousness of my condition. I cannot thank the NHS enough for saving my life but after ICU my treatment was not great nor was my rehabilitation.

Healing thoughts and hugs 🤗🤗🤗

[Mijmijkey74 in reply to LesAnne]

Had similar issues. Out of icu onto ward nobody understood how ill Id been and still was fully. if not for woman in next bed who kept picking me up as I slumped forwards from the waist face down onto the blankets to weak to push myself up again would have suffocated in the bedding, or when I flopped sideways and ended up hanging out of the bed. My center of gravity had gone, was rolling around the bed like a weeble. Was spoken to disgustingly and didn't put up with it, ensured those nurses didn't come anywhere near me again. When I could just about speak in a very quiet whisper was able to tell a male nurse I'd come from icu after him asking what was wrong with me, he was shocked and surprised, it was a respiratory ward " Coma came from asthma attack" he said omg, and you shouldn't be in here. They were all on respirators and had chest infections, pneumonia and flu, I was so ill if I'd caught anything from one of them it would have finished me off. I could feed myself properly, had to find ingenious ways of getting food into my mouth, same with drink. My feet came in useful for holding things even though I couldn't walk on them, and the woman in the next bed did literally save my life. Had very little care, sadly very lacking, even some aspects of icu were dangerous to me. I was dumped in the discharge lounge, was there about 5 plus hours feeling extremely ill, unable to move because of all my bags around my feet, being dumped in a chair I couldn't get out of, and was running a high temperature that day, was discharged from ward without warning, nearly collapsed when tried to get out of bed, weighed only 4 stone, they were snapping at my heels to hurry and gather up all my stuff alone that I was to weak to manage, was to stressful, felt like crying, couldn't move fast enough for them, they were quite litrally changing the bed whilst I was sat in a chair trying to get to grip with what was going on. No care involved about my health, only interested in the bed I was in, and getting me out of it quickly regardless of my poor health. A very kindly nurse even said, no way should you be going anywhere, your blood pressure is extremely low, you have a temperature and are clearly not well enough to go home yet, but not up to me I'm so sorry hunny she said, up to the doctor, she went away and spoke to him as she was very concerned about me, the very doctor who lost my icu file and refused to treat me.He didn't care, the bed more important. I even asked if I could say in the bed until my mum arrived to collect me, they said no, and carried on hurrying to get me off the ward. Even the staff in the discharge lounge were worried about me, and the discharge lounge was closing and my mum still hadn't arrived to take me home, as she couldn't find it which I knew she wouldn't be able to without a huge struggle as she has comprehension issues possibly down to early onset dementia she won't get check out so declines further unseen by any doctors. I was so ill, mum arrived with a paramedic helping her find the lounge, it was a freezing feburary last year, dark outside, paramedic had to push me in wheelchair all over carpark as mum couldn't find her car, couldn't remember where she had parked it. I was the illest in that discharge lounge I was told, and dumped in there alone unwell for 5 plus hours. I had bladder issues from the catheter, and couldn't even get to the toilet, until they were closing the discharge lounge and staff helped me. A horrible experience. I could have died in there, they wouldn't have noticed or cared. It was only when they were closing up the lounge that they realised I was still there. Though then those staff were absolutely lovely with me.

[stevet11753]

There must be a great deal of variation across the NHS in dealing with ICU patients. I seem to have been lucky in this respect. After a month's stay in ICU I was stepped down to HDU for a week then transferred to a rehab ward. All the way through I was followed by the physio team to get me back on my feet and mobile again; additionally, my course throughout my hospital stay was monitored by outreach nurses and occupational therapists who regularly checked with me to see how I was progressing. I wasn't discharged from hospital until I satisfied the various mobility tests.

Some of the variation in care will be due to the nature of the illness and the conditions of the stay in ICU, but, from many of the stories on this forum, it does seem to me that there is a general ignorance among medical staff of the traumatic nature of a stay in ICU, for both the patient and relatives.

[Natty1234]

Yes Mac I agree my six wks in a induced coma and icu were amazing so I was told by my parents but when transferred to c4 Newport ward didn’t have a clue didn’t bother with me just left me slumped in my bed no compassion whatsoever just thought I was being awkward and nasty they didn’t even know about icu delirium there should be special measures put in place to make sure that they know about icu delirium it made me ten times worse I had to all out otherwise I think I would have had a nervous breakdownl

[Stayloose]

My husband was ventilated for 5 days then on HDU for 5 days sent to Ambulatory Care when just off oxygen.Staff had understandably no idea about ICU patients, struggling with room sir etc. Drs were just the doctor of the day. Terrible experience,,!!!

[Hpygrl50]

This is exactly what I experienced. Once I was moved if it hadn’t been for my family being there I would have eaten nothing and regularly wet the bed. My care went from amazing in ICU to bordering neglect the nights after my transfer

I totally agree with you.

[Natty1234]

I know the feeling max they thought I was a nutter and didn’t know bout icu delerium gust thought I was mad and nasty but that wasn’t me I used to be a fun loving person I don’t think I’ll ever be that again each day it gets harder and harder 🙁🙁🙁