I’m truly curious. Not even trying to complain, I understand the hospitals are full but like what takes so long to print paperwork?
UPDATE: Thank you all for your input and responses, it definitely helped the time pass by. We are home now. I do understand waiting is not suffering but at some point something has to give. We have an infant and toddler who had to be left with family and we were anxious to get home to them. I understand we are not the only people who have ever had to wait for discharge. I was truly curious as to what the hold up is. After getting incoming responses seeming to state that this is normal, it all got to me. This should not be normal and the patient, critical or not, should not have to get the short end of the stick. Reality or not. In a perfect world I guess.
Sorry to all the underpaid, over worked staff.
In: 241
You’ve had some great answers on the causes/problems, but I’d like to chime in with an experience of how things are changing for the better.
I’m in the UK, had surgery late last year, and was part of the ‘ERAS’ program – Enhanced Recovery After Surgery. One of the things they’ve noted is that people generally recover faster and stronger if they can get out of hospital sooner, so the goal is to make sure people are healing then get them home. It also aims to create more space in the hospital, so they can treat more patients.
This included many things, such as exercise targets for weeks beforehand, specific diet for the few days before surgery, quicker weaning off morphine post-op, being made to walk around the ward twice withing 24 hours of surgery (and increasing distances in the following days, plus tackling the stairs), removing the catheter as soon as I felt able to use a proper toilet, visits from physiotherapists to teach me how to sit up and dress, post-discharge phone calls from pharmacists and physio, etc.
One of the things they did was begin prepping paperwork and medication, and pre-packing almost all my personal belongings, the day before discharge, so that things were good to go the moment the doctors came round for their morning checks. It turns out I wound up having to stay an extra day due to some minor complications, but they again packed everything up with me the night before. That way when they said ‘good to go’, it was a quick signature and hand-over of meds and I was out half an hour later.
It made a huge difference! I’ve had 7 or 8 major operations now, and previous times I’ve been ‘discharged’ at 9am but ended up waiting until about 3 or 4pm before I actually have my paperwork and meds before I could get out. Not all of these things will be applicable for every patient or condition, especially in the case of emergency admissions, but I’m sure things will continue to get smoother in the coming years.
You’ve had some great answers on the causes/problems, but I’d like to chime in with an experience of how things are changing for the better.
I’m in the UK, had surgery late last year, and was part of the ‘ERAS’ program – Enhanced Recovery After Surgery. One of the things they’ve noted is that people generally recover faster and stronger if they can get out of hospital sooner, so the goal is to make sure people are healing then get them home. It also aims to create more space in the hospital, so they can treat more patients.
This included many things, such as exercise targets for weeks beforehand, specific diet for the few days before surgery, quicker weaning off morphine post-op, being made to walk around the ward twice withing 24 hours of surgery (and increasing distances in the following days, plus tackling the stairs), removing the catheter as soon as I felt able to use a proper toilet, visits from physiotherapists to teach me how to sit up and dress, post-discharge phone calls from pharmacists and physio, etc.
One of the things they did was begin prepping paperwork and medication, and pre-packing almost all my personal belongings, the day before discharge, so that things were good to go the moment the doctors came round for their morning checks. It turns out I wound up having to stay an extra day due to some minor complications, but they again packed everything up with me the night before. That way when they said ‘good to go’, it was a quick signature and hand-over of meds and I was out half an hour later.
It made a huge difference! I’ve had 7 or 8 major operations now, and previous times I’ve been ‘discharged’ at 9am but ended up waiting until about 3 or 4pm before I actually have my paperwork and meds before I could get out. Not all of these things will be applicable for every patient or condition, especially in the case of emergency admissions, but I’m sure things will continue to get smoother in the coming years.
In hospital nurse for 20 years. Pretty much all of what is said is true except for one theme. Everywhere I have worked is basically full all the time. I work in the larger hospital system in a bigger city that includes A lot of more rural hospitals that are holding patients to send to us. No one wants to keep anyone longer than need be. They do not get more money for a longer stay, the hospital actually loses money in a longer stay. I see discharges more often on the edge of far too soon than too late. But on the day you are to be discharged the waiting and the explanations here as to why it is delayed are absolutely correct.
In hospital nurse for 20 years. Pretty much all of what is said is true except for one theme. Everywhere I have worked is basically full all the time. I work in the larger hospital system in a bigger city that includes A lot of more rural hospitals that are holding patients to send to us. No one wants to keep anyone longer than need be. They do not get more money for a longer stay, the hospital actually loses money in a longer stay. I see discharges more often on the edge of far too soon than too late. But on the day you are to be discharged the waiting and the explanations here as to why it is delayed are absolutely correct.
Latest Answers