Nursing in the NHS

Yesterday when I went to see Barry, he told me his sheets had not been changed since he got there!!
He was admitted on Wednesday and this was Saturday! I think he changed wards from the medical admissions ward to Wellington Ward late Wednesday.

In addition to this when his cannula had been put in he bled on his bottom sheet so he was sitting and sleeping on a big blood stain for most of that time!!

Appalling, at the very least sheets etc should be changed when soiled?
I was very angry and went gunning for the nurses, but because it was Saturday the only ones I could find right then were a student nurse and a young nursing assistant.

They were immediately defensive - that this could not happen, of course his sheets have been changed!!!!!!

Do they think Barry has lost his marbles as well as having HIV? Or do they think he would lie?

I was so angry.............
I said I can prove it

'You will have records made for when his cannula was fitted' - come and look. I made them look.
And took them to see the blood stain on then bottom sheet that had been there since Thursday at least !!!!!

They then changed his sheets and apologised.
But still defended themselves and the ward - said he/Barry had not been out of bed much and they only changed the sheets every 2 days anyway. But Barry gets up and dresses every day in jeans and tee shirt and has a shower in the morning and is only sitting on the top of his bed during the day and he finds his chair uncomfortable

He said he had seen them change the other men's sheets - most of the others in his bay are bedridden apart from him so I guess if someone can not get out of bed they change them routinely but Barry got overlooked because he can fend for himself a little - but it is still not at all right, he is not in his 70s or 80s like most on this bay and therefore can do stuff for himself but he is still very ill and needs proper nursing care!
And as he is mobile between IV drips anytime they wanted to change his bed they only had to ask and he would have sat in a chair or gone for a walk down the corridor .

Any excuse to thrust the blame back to the patient and not admit responsibility!!

I bet those nurses I complained to do not make a record of this incident so I can complain officially - but they may when on duty make sure Barry's sheets are changed and he is looked after properly.

Similar happened to me so may times when I was in hospital after my accident in 2003 and it shocked me then i.e the lack of nursing care

- as a patient I was appalled at some of basic care that was lacking both for me and other patients. I challenged so often over the lack of cleaning the lack of hygiene and precautions - but it is always someone else's fault and if they can blame you, the patient - they fucking will.

I agree Barry is too unassertive and too non-confrontational as he had known that they had not changed his sheets but he sat there and said nothing until he told me - he even made his bed every night since Wednesday himself before settling in for the night - if a nurse had done the minimum of personal care and just straightened his sheets they would have noticed the big bloodstain and changed the sheets ( I hope) but no one even did this for Barry .

What has happened to basic nursing skills and standards?