"Ward doors and patient safety"

On visiting Ward 35 for the elderly, I found the door ajar. I closed it and shortly afterwards a nurse opened it and walked off. I challenged her and she said she was sorry. 

I then completed a visit to my relative. On leaving the door was ajar again. I closed it. Then a nurse opened and left it open. Another asked me to keep it open to let her in. I observed from the stairwell and this kept happening over a few mins. I went back to the nursing station and a junior nurse told me the staff nurse said it’s left open to stop people buzzing. 

The other nurse walked with me to close it and agreed it should be closed due to the wandering nature of some patients. 

For a geriatric ward on the 4th floor of the hospital, beside large concrete staircases, I don’t feel nurses are putting patient safety over a simple process of either buzzing in, or having a code to enter. There’s good reason for securing the door and it shouldn’t be left open just because the junior nurse might have to check and let someone in. 

If my mother escapes and falls I will hold the staff nurse for ward 25 responsible and NHS for this area accountable.