Hospital Time

[lfu2]

lfu2, 71 year old male with Wegener's

Time...

We have all heard of time... Summertime, Greenwich Mean Time, local time, international time, sidereal time...... and now for another one.... one that works by itself away from the confines of the normal world. A lot of us will be aware of it already, or will make its aquaintence at some later time. It is Hospital Time.

Examples are many.... my one night stay turned into an eight night stay.... I was told yesterday that I should be going home today. At ten o'clock this morning I was told that I would need one further blood test and on the results of that test, I should be going home. It is now two thirty pm and no blood test yet.... they will still have to analyse it, and make a report on it, and then make a decision. But... this is hospital time!!!

As for me going home.... well you are just a patient; you have got to fit in with our routines.

Blood test just been done now at two fifty pm after my second word with the sister.

[PMRpro]

It wouldn't be so bad - but the Bed Manager is going spare waiting for that bed. A bit more joined-up thinking would benefit everyone!

[lfu2 in reply to PMRpro]

It seems such a shame. My patience was shortening and probably my blood pressure rising. I honestly thought I would be spending another night in hospital, but in the end I got home at seven o'clock pm.... and saved the NHS another £400 (the estimated cost of the bed overnight).

The NHS really is a marvellous institution; the nursing staff exhibit care and compassion; the doctors are very good..... but you are right, there is no joined up anything.

This was not meant as a moan, more of an observation.

[PMRpro in reply to lfu2]

I didn't take it as a moan - I and the rest of the family work/ed there for a very long time. It was better once...