I was visiting a patient on Ward 5, Tameside Hospital. The patient was in a 6-bedded ward, none of the other patients was on an intravenous infusion or had a ‘nil by mouth’ sign above their bed.
A drinks trolley was brought into the ward. All patients were asked if they wanted a drink. My friend and another patient asked for a cup of tea, and another patient’s visitor asked for a cup of tea on his wife’s behalf, and helped her to drink it. The other 3 patients were not given drinks. The daughter of one of them arrived and asked why her mother didn't have a cup of tea. She was told ‘because she said she didn’t want one’. The patient’s daughter explained that her mother has dementia and can’t always express her own needs. Her mother was then given a drink and managed to drink it unaided. There were no staff around on the ward during my visit (I was there over an hour) and I did not see the other two patients assisted with a drink.
Staff lack of understanding/training about importance of adequate fluid intake
"Staff lack understanding"
About: Tameside General Hospital / Trauma and orthopaedics Tameside General Hospital Trauma and orthopaedics OL6 9RW
Posted by GPenny (as ),
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Update posted by GPenny (other) 9 years ago