My 83-year old father-in-law fainted and fell and hit his head five days ago. He was taken to the local suburban hospital. Since he has been in the hospital, his kidneys shut down, because his catheter wasn't working, and he now has a staph infection and a blood infection. In addition, he has terrible back pain (undetermined cause) for which the hospital is refusing to give him pain medication. He was sent to the ICU last night, and they fixed the catheter to restore some kidney function. The infections persist, yet the doctors are talking about doing surgery in five days to put in a pacemaker when they have not exhausted all possible causes of his fainting episodes. My sister-in-law and mother-in-law are dealing with the situation on the ground, but my wife and I (from 1,500 miles away) feel as if this is the Keystone Cops where the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. What should we suggest to improve the level of his care?
2007-02-21 11:55:17 · 6 answers · asked by acijca 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
Talk to the Hospital Manager (there's another name for it). DEMAND IT! They have done you guys terribly wrong. Be forceful with them. Otherwise, they will get away with it.
2007-02-21 11:58:48 · answer #1 · answered by Chick-a-Dee 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
kidneys don't shut down because a catheter isn't working. A catheter is put in to help someone urinate (empty the bladder) if they aren't able to do so on their own. As to the infections, they are very common in hospitals, things like MRSA and c-diff are contracted when someone, specially elderly is in the hospital. That is the hospital's fault. The back pain could be from his falls but I am sure they are giving him pain medication, maybe not as often as he feels he should have it. Nurses and doctors don't deliberately like to have someone in pain. Alot of times medications conflict with others. Maybe something he's taking for his heart can't be combined with certain pain meds or it would cause him more harm than good. It is important for the family to be involved and it is hard to know what is really going on if someone isn't there.
2007-02-21 20:05:15 · answer #2 · answered by Ruth Less RN 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm a nurse. You can ask for a person there if you could file a complaint about the care your father-in-law is receiving at this facility. They will give you all the information. You have that right to get the proper information to proceed with a complaint. If you are not getting results, go to your local media, that will get their attention. I have helped many people this way as well. All the best, and hang in there.
2007-02-21 20:36:37 · answer #3 · answered by nursey 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Please, asap, call the state they are in, to the capital, and get the phone number for the state ombusman for the hospitals. For patient care. I wish you all the best. Take care.
2007-02-21 20:00:41 · answer #4 · answered by SAK 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You just might need to go there in person. He sounds very sick. Ask to speak to his primary nurse and ask if he is in multi-system organ failure. If so, get there as fast as you can to say goodbye. I'm so sorry.
2007-02-21 20:02:12 · answer #5 · answered by diannegoodwin@sbcglobal.net 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
contact the ombudsman
2007-02-21 19:58:00 · answer #6 · answered by Nails 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋