hospital discharge

[easyas123]

Last colonoscopy they wheeled me out to my husband who was waiting with the car.

Last Feb. my FIL had a heart attack. He drove himself to the hospital, left early and drove himself home - even though they told him he shouldn't be driving - because, you know - he wanted a cigarette.
Then he went home and got Covid immediately.
yeah, he's still kicking.

 

[WDWJDS]

Yep, nothing worse than all those lazy nurses working in hospitals these days

We may not be lazy, but my profession will delay a discharge so that they can’t get a new admission .

It gives us a few minutes to pee and shove leftover pizza in our mouths

 

[momz]

Does anyone know if you are discharged from a hospital do you have to leave right away. Meaning can you stay a few extra hours so someone can go pick you up.

Nope, you are expected to leave. Loitering in the room delays care for the next person. I have seen security escort people out who refuse to leave after discharge. You can wait in the waiting room.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

When my mother-in-law was being discharged, they made her wait in her room until they could find someone to bring a wheelchair to wheel her out. Took about 3 hours. That was on top of the "she's being discharged" talk they'd been giving us for 3 days.

 

[Skippy918]

We’ve had a couple of outpatient procedures and the accompanying adult had to stay on premises. I wonder if this is so patients dont have to wait for rides.

 

[DCLMP]

It depends on the unit you are on. If you are able-bodied many hospitals have lounges you can wait in. If you are elderly, non-ambulatory, have dementia, etc etc. anything considered unsafe they will not throw you out.

 

[lpereira]

Yep, nothing worse than all those lazy nurses working in hospitals these days



It isn't lazy. Discharging comes with a **** ton of paperwork. Admissions come ls with a **** ton of paperwork. Not anything related to actual patient care. Government mandated paperwork. My hospital has a rule that no nurse can get an admission and a discharge on the same shift. Not all hospitals have such a rule. We also have 2-4 patients per nurse and 6 to 7 patients per nurses aid. Rarely we will have 5 patients to nurse and 8 patients to aid. When that happens you won't be getting off on time or peeing. You will also be charting on your lunch break.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

I unfortunately had 6 hospitalizations last year. Initial ride in an ambulance. Most of the time I would be discharged and then be stuck waiting for somebody to unhook me and bring me my papers etc. Last visit I got my papers then 20 minutes later I buzzed for my nurse to see where she was because nobody had unhooked me. Well she was at lunch receiving some award and I needed to wait. How lovely for her, but no I don't need to wait. I removed my own IV, felt free to use the supplies in my room, walked myself out and since I drove myself to the ER that time.. I drove myself home. I received a few phone calls but it took them an HOUR to realize I was gone.

 

[BrianL]

I had outpatient surgery once so only int he pre-op and recovery rooms. They were literally forcing me out the door, even though I took longer than expected to come to and still felt just awful. The anesthesia hit me hard as I have no tolerance for such things. They shoved some ice cream into me and plopped me on a wheelchair. I told the nurse I was going to throw-up, but she didn't take me seriously, so I lost it in the waiting room. They still made me leave. I did not love that experience.

 

[DodgerGirl]

When my dad got discharged from the hospital after his rehab they made him stay in his room to double check to see if he wasn't forgetting anything then Dad waited in the waiting room for the ambulance service to take him home. But when I was having surgery when I was a little girl the doctors had promised me a van ride home and so we waited and waited until the doctor said I was ready but they brought me home in an ambulance and Dad had to follow me home in our old van. But on my recent surgery my parents brought me in our Chevy Avalanche and it was a nice comfy ride

 

[aprilgail]

A relative had an injury in Nov 2020 (during Covid) that required an ambulance transport and evaluation in New Orleans 1.5 hours away.

He was discharged at 1 am to the streets of New Orleans with other patients.

Fortunately, our son lived near the hospital at the time and was able to pick him up until we could drive over the get him.

I was appalled as it was very cold that night.

Way back in the 1960's my moms elderly father was in the hospital- she came home from work one day and found him sitting on the step- the hospital had driven him there and just left him on the step with his bag of clothes! She had no idea how long he was even there because he was elderly and couldn't speak!