My dad recently had a stroke and has been in three hospitals in three months. To my suprise, the hospital staff was not caring for his medical needs properly. His bed wasn't being changed in a timely manner after he had been having constant diahhrea from C-Diff. I actually stepped in and changed my dad's bed several times. I didn't mind helping, but the hospital staff needs to take care of the patient. Not the family. I actually had one of the nurses tell me that I looked tired after spending several nights at my dad's bedside. She told me to hurry back in the morning, so she could put me back to work. Nurses should not be saying these things to family members. I also witnessed a nurse that was doing nothing and acted irritated that he had to help change dad's bed. The only CNA on staff was swamped. Again, they actually asked me to help change his bed. Again, I didn't mind, but this is ridiculous. I understand the shortage of CNA's, but the hospitals need to hire more staff if this is the case. My dad also had a bedsore and was given no ointment for it. I was told that it must be ordered by a doctor. I found this also to be untrue. They have an ointment that is handy for an nurse or CNA to put on a patient's bed sore. I actually had to go into supply room and get it myself. I just don't want these types of things to continue to happen. It can make a bad name for all nurses, and there are so many more good nurses than bad. What can we do as individuals to help fix this?

You can write a clear editorial on the understaffing problems of the hospital and send it to your newspaper or call a reporter to tell your story. I would write to administration and tell exactly how you feel.

Another way to express oneself is via the new HCAHPS: Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. Across the US, random selected patients will have a chance to voice their opinion in a survey about the hospital, staff & the care they've received during their stay. Unfortunately, not every patient will get a chance to voice their opinion, but the collected data hopefully will help the hospitals to improve their care in the near future. More info can be obtained @ http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/Hospital/Static/About-Overview.asp?dest=NAV|Home|About|Overview#TabTop & http://www.hcahpsonline.org/default.aspx.

The intent of the HCAHPS initiative is to provide a standardized survey instrument and data collection methodology for measuring patients' perspectives on hospital care. While many hospitals currently collect information on patients' satisfaction with care, there is no national standard for collecting or publicly reporting this information that would enable valid comparisons to be made across all hospitals. In order to make "apples to apples" comparisons to support consumer choice, it is necessary to introduce a standard measurement approach. HCAHPS can be viewed as a core set of questions that can be combined with a broader, customized set of hospital-specific items. HCAHPS is meant to complement the data hospitals currently collect to support improvements in internal customer services and quality related activities.

Three broad goals have shaped the HCAHPS survey. First, the survey is designed to produce comparable data on the patient's perspective on care that allows objective and meaningful comparisons between hospitals on domains that are important to consumers. Second, public reporting of the survey results is designed to create incentives for hospitals to improve their quality of care. Third, public reporting will serve to enhance public accountability in health care by increasing the transparency of the quality of hospital care provided in return for the public investment. With these goals in mind, the HCAHPS project has taken substantial steps to assure that the survey will be credible, useful, and practical. This methodology and the information it generates will be made available to the public.

In May 2005, the National Quality Forum (NQF), an organization established to standardize health care quality measurement and reporting, formally endorsed the CAHPS Hospital Survey. The NQF endorsement represents the consensus of many health care providers, consumer groups, professional associations, purchasers, federal agencies, and research and quality organizations.

At hospitals, I never saw my mother being mistreated or ignored by medical staff, but by her insurance company. Her agent refused to order circulation boots that could have helped my mother's leg problems immensely, and opted not to because of the cost.

I think the medical insurance companies also have a huge role to play in the comfort and safety of the patient, and also the funding and payment system that causes hospitals to be understaffed or to have incompetent personnel.

I'm really sorry about your papa.

I'm a med-tech in an army med. center for the step-down unit and I absolutely looove my job!  Yes, this position is considered by many as...the bottom of the totem pole, but the opportunities to make a difference in someone's life...with either the patient or a family member, is amazing!

When a complaint is brought to my attention, I do my best to placate the situation, then either go to charge or head nurse (depending on the situation).  I usually end up telling my co-worker(s) exactly what time it is!  When it comes to patient care, offending their bedside manners is not of importance...no matter what initials come after their last name.

The flip side of this is if they are genuinely happy with their chosen profession...maybe d/t management, lack of sufficient staffing, or maybe just a bad day.  Not an excuse though...just food for thought.

I believe that everyone has had some type of mistreatment in a medical facility and there are those instances where one or two are just heaven sent!   If you are one of these angels...I applaude you.

I guess we can all lead by example and not forget the reasons why we all came into this profession.

Absolutely!  Awesome place to learn new things as well as meet different people/cultures!  Just a stepping stone towards my BSN. 

My point was in regards to the opportunities in making a difference in patient care. 

I've also been an aide and a medical assistant from both the civilian and military sector.  Which by the way, does not stop me from telling any one what time it is if I see something unethical happening.