ICU Not Updating Family - Action We Can Take?

[Need_ICU_Updates]

My mother is in the ICU, the hospital are saying that we may have to wait until tomorrow for an update as they are very busy - they have not been regularly calling like they said they would, which I can understand, however today she has been told she has brain cancer and nobody is giving us any information.

I've called the hospital and the liaison but they say they're very busy and they will try to update us today, otherwise it will be tomorrow.

We are her children and her next of kin, surely they cannot leave us 24 whole hours on edge not knowing what's going on? Is there any action we can take?

Appreciate any help

[Sepsur]

Most hospitals have something called PALS - I hope they can help you.

I would suggest your only other course of action is to be a nuisance and continue to call ICU.

I don’t want to preempt anything that has been discovered with your Mother - but waking up in ICU is really confusing for most of us. The team may have said they were checking for things and hence needing a CT scan - and your Mum has leapt to a conclusion. ICU delirium is also common - the interesting thing with delirium is that a patient can appear extremely lucid one second and then state something that is fantastical, the next.

[Need_ICU_Updates in reply to Sepsur]

Thank you for taking the time to reply, the hospital has updated us and we have an appointment tomorrow to review the next steps.

Again, thanks for replying as I did feel very helpless.

[Winter1978]

My husband is in ICU, on a ventilator, dialysis and covid. We have 6 children. ICU fail to give me a 24 hourly update, they say they are too busy. Nurses refuse to give updates, they say only doctors can do that. It’s breaking my and my children’s hearts.

[Sepsur in reply to Winter1978]

We have a relatives drop-in every Tuesday at 8pm U.K. local time - it’s on zoom cc-sn.org

[4Given]

Yes, be a pesky family member, spouse, etc.

My beloved wife has been in ICU over a week now.

I got bold last night and drove straight to the hospital. I called them and said, "I need to see my wife." The kindest compassionate nurse, John (not his name), said," OK, I'll check with my supervisor. "

He came back moments later and said, "Come on in."

They've gotten to know me, because I ask tons of questions and stay connected. I always mention that we have a ton of prayer warriors, family praying for her.

I pray and speak healing to my wife's organs, lungs, heart and kidneys.

As I began to speak these things, her BP went from 137/73 up to 157/73 for a short time! I know she had to have heard me, even though she is under propofol sedation!

Be bold, speak up, and don't ask if you can see your loved one, say, I NEED to see my love one!