My brother-in-law was recently rushed to the hospital because he was terribly ill which turned out to be some sort of infection and low white blood cell count due to his chemotherapy treatment. He was admitted to the ICU and my sister was told he had a very slim chance of making it, the next day the doctor said 40% of patients in this situation don't make it. Then, 5 days later he was all of a sudden discharged (4 days before the original release date), he still was not eating anything (getting nutrients through IV), was not able to walk to even use the bathroom. He was on morphine as well. My sister went to pick him up and the doctors didn't meet with her and the nurses didn't give her any information, they only told her to go to his regular doctor in a week for a check up. He still had an IV in and they had to ask her to take it out. Dont they usually give you a list of things you need to do? How can they discharge someone who can't eat or walk to the bathroom?
2007-05-19 10:05:40 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
They also didn't even tell my sister if the infection was cleared up. I'm very confused about how they can do this.
2007-05-19 10:07:02 · update #1
Your brother in law or sister should call his doctor and ask for an explanation.
My son has been in the hospital numerous times and we have never encountered anything like this. He's been in at least twice for central line infections which is what your brother in law had. Usually you are put on an antibiotic while they run cultures on the blood to identify the bug. Once it is identified the appropriate antibiotic is given. The blood is cultured every day and grown in the lab . . before a patient can leave the hospital they usually have to have 48 hours of a negative culture. It can be life threatening since the patients immune system is compromised, but once the right antibiotic is working the patient may be able to go home.
I am not sure by your description what is going on. but if he had an infection and they've cleared it up with antibiotics he should be able to leave the hospital. Not sure about why he could not go to the bathroom or why he was on TNP or morphine?
Anyway, call his doctor to find out why this happened and what he should do now. If this had happened to us I would have been on the phone in seconds with my sons doctor!
2007-05-19 10:34:50 · answer #1 · answered by Panda 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's terrible!! Sometimes people are discharged with IV's or still needing some nursing care, but the social workers arrange for home health nurses to help out in these situations. Patients cannot be discharged without a doctor's order, so I would find out who that doctor is and ask why he was discharged so soon. I would definitly call his doctor and arrange for a follow up asap (not wait a week) to make sure everything is okay. When things quiet down, and you know he's doing okay, you can request a patient's bill of rights from the hospital (every hospital has one). You can then write a letter to the president of the hospital (feel free to cc the medical chief of staff or director of nursing if you want) and address specifically how his experience did not coincide with what the bill of rights says. Good luck!!
2007-05-19 10:14:45 · answer #2 · answered by alliecat 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
no this should not have happened that is very poor patient care and your sister should talk to the hospitals administrator about this. I beleive there are several pt care issues involved one being the IV left and being told to take it out, and since your brother in law already immunocomopromised then an untrained person should not be responsible to take out the IV. The doctor should have left discharge instructions including any new medications, a particular diet, what to look out for, especially after having this type on infection, and having such a low white count (immunocompromised) he is at risk for further infections and just for future use what to look out for. THIS IS VERY POOR PATIENT ALL WAY AROUND. I AM A NURSE AND AM OUTRAGED BY THIS. hope all is well with your brother in law.
2007-05-19 10:37:32 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know what ICU that was but that sounds terrible and very unprofessional. At the time of discharge the nurse should have given him instructions on what to expect and how to treat it. The nurse should have explained any meds that need to be used. Also the IV in his arm needed to be removed without a patient having to ask. Sounds to me like you really have good reason to complain to this hospital, which in my opinion treated this patient like , excuse my language, ****. A more caring approach should have been taken. I really feel for you, this patient needs an apology. How sad that this patient had to be made to feel so unimportant. Hospitals should control things like this. But keep in mind, you can help by voicing your concerns to the manager of the unit. usually people, especially managers, who care, try to take care of the problem.
2007-05-19 12:56:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would call the Board of Health immediately & report the hospital and Dr. If possible take him to another hospital. This is outrageous, he should not have been discharged if he wasn't eating or walking. They are suppose to give you after care instrustions and told you if his condition was contagious. I might also think about contacting a lawyer. Don't wait, get him to another hospital & have them get the medical records from where he was & get a copy for yourself! Best of luck & I'll pray for him. Please don't wait!
2007-05-19 11:00:41 · answer #5 · answered by imatptor 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY For what your going through I know first hand about this, as it happened to my Mother. Normally you are given an after care list but hospitals these days are so busy (yet not doing much if you know what I mean )details like this could be overlooked. However once they feel that the patient is going to be better of at home its goodbye and give us our bed sad but true we are just numbers TO SOME i'm sure if he was a millioner he would be pampered on like a prince You are entitled to complain to the hospital manager failing that a Mp or even Human rights Good Luck
2007-05-19 10:22:09 · answer #6 · answered by Andrea B 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
the discharge nurse should have explained what the Dr wanted her to do and the nurse should have taken the IV out not the sister=sorry to say this ,but by the way you have stated things ,sounds like the man has something contagious
something is very wrong with this picture and I would suggest getting a lawyer involved concerning it -especially when the poor guy can't walk or go to washroom by himself and no explanation was given to you
2007-05-19 10:14:11 · answer #7 · answered by caffsans 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I've never heard of someone being discharged for icu directly. Discharge instructions that must be signed by staff and patient are usually done. I would definitely check into this situation.
2007-05-19 10:10:45 · answer #8 · answered by veronicawilliams1969 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most ICUs limit patient load to one or two. The number depends on the severity of illness in the patient load.
2016-05-17 17:15:20 · answer #9 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have been in the hospital most of my life i was never released with out a list of things to do and not do. i would find out what doctor singed his released papers and call him for details. i would not wait any longer i would call now
2007-05-19 10:11:36 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋