Soiled clothing is put in a bag and placed in the patients locker. This happens in at least two local hospitals.
Staff don't always seal the bags properly and in my experience they never explain to relatives that the bags contain excrement. Relatives are left to discover the soiled clothing in the patient's locker and then work out how to wash it.
This evening I found a bag of clothing containing excrement beside some food in my relatives locker. This is an infection risk and is also degrading to patients - which of us wants to sleep beside a cupboard containing excrement?
This has happened on many occasions and I have often thrown out good clothing because I can't face trying to wash it at home. I know I'm not the only person who has done this.
At the very least nurses should be sluicing the clothes, bagging them correctly and explaining to relatives what the bags contain and how to deal with them.
"Poor infection control and degrading treatment "
About: Ninewells Hospital / General Medicine Ninewells Hospital General Medicine DD1 9SY
Posted by rmark (as ),
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See more responses from Caroline Hiscox
Update posted by rmark (a relative) 9 years ago