Hospitals

No one likes to go to the hospital. Last week, my friend M was in the hospital. She went to swift care on a Monday with a really sore/stiff swollen neck and got sent to A&E (ER). She sat in A&E most of the day and finally got admitted. She got to the A&E in the morning and didn't get a bed until past 5:00 PM even though she was admitted to the hospital.

While visiting her in the hospital, I was struck by the differences in hospitals between here and home. Actually, and Norway for that fact. First, the standard "rooms" are less than private and don't really allow privacy of any sort. There were about 8 people in one room with only the possibility of a curtain between them. This is about what the ER was like when John went to the hospital at home. The room also only had 1 TV which my friend couldn't see if she had wanted to watch the television. No radio. While, these may not seem like big deals but if you are stuck in bed all day, what are you supposed to do? There was also only one bathroom for the 8 people!

When my friend wanted to call a nurse to raise or lower her bed (no electric beds that raise or lower head/feet by pushing a button), she had to reach a good way out of the bed and could have fallen partially out! She also had to wait ages after hitting the call button. My friend finally got a private room (which she had insurance to pay for it) by shedding a few tears to the ward sister and begging. I am willing to bet that the hospital will charge for the private room.

On many days, this team of doctors came around to examine M and monitor her progress. We were there one day when they came in. They went around to each bed, sometimes pulling the curtain, others not. When they got to M, we left to give her privacy. When we came back, M reported that the doctors asked a few questions of her and the talked about her case and her like she wasn't there! So much for patient centered care.

Another issue I have with hospitals in Dublin is the cleanliness. One that I went to appeared to have dirty floors. Nurses didn't wear gloves. People were so close together that germs could easily spread. The one that M was in had hand sanitizer all over for people to use. It appeared clean and they sanitized the bed before M was given it. That is reassuring since the winter vomiting bug and MRSA are pretty common in hospitals here.

In Norway, John's room was private and they brought an extra bed for me. They brought food for me (since he couldn't eat). The doctors talked to us and they even assigned nurses who spoke English to his case. They explained everything well. They also wrote a letter and sent his records with us to take to his doctors. The best part was they had no idea what the cost of the treatment/hospitalization were because they never charge citizens. About a month later, we got a bill and it was about 3,000 for 2 nights in the hospital, a CT scan, various blood work, and IV fluids/pain medicine!

At home, most people I know who have been in the hospital had private or semi-private room. They all have their own TV, radio, and beds that they can raise and lower themselves. Call buttons are integrated into the bed so there is not straining to call a nurse. Doctors talk to you, not about you in front of you. Nurses come to check on you and take your vitals (this didn't happen much for M or the client I visited in the hospital: he barely even saw doctors). The rooms are clean. The floors are clean. People wear gloves and follow Universal Precautions. And it costs. A lot.