Top Ten List
As many of you know by now, I had a recent hospitalization. All is fine now, but the three days that I was there, allowed me to make a few observations. Here now are ten of things that I have noticed about being sick in the hospital.
10. In the past few years, the food has gotten worse. For a while, the hospitals tried to make their food somewhat palatable. Those days are long gone. They try to talk it up ("You are having the lasagne? It's good tonight."), but it doesn't help.
9. The beds are still hard. You can press the buttons, and move your upper body one way, and your legs another. But at the end of the day, the beds are still hard. And nothing can change that.
8. Doesn't it seem like the nurses are younger? Most of ones that cared for me, looked like they were 14 years old. They were very good, but young.
7. I like how they now scan your wristband when they do anything. Which is fine, but it feels like you are being checked out of a Wal-Mart. When they give you an aspirin, scan the band. Blood pressure check, lets see the band. Plate of lasagne? Where is your wrist?
6. They'll still wake you up to give you a sleeping pill. Don't get me started on that. I think it gives the nurses something to do at two in the morning ("..would you like a sleeping pill, sir?")
5. Finally they figured something out. It doesn't seem like such a big deal, but the in ER they would put the IV in your arm above the elbow. The floor nurses would say that they wanted them in the wrist. In my case, many times they would change it once I would get into the room. Some times I would have to ask, since it's far more comfortable in the wrist. Last week it was different when I was admitted. In the wrist, without asking. Only one IV stick? I considered that a victory.
4. Flat screen TV's with cable in all the rooms. That was cool. It didn't really bother me to sit in the ER examining room for three hours while they discussed what they wanted to do. There was SportsCenter, the Ellen Show, and two episodes of Pawn Stars to help pass the time ("..Look, I like it, but only at the right price..").
3. Why doesn't the staff talk to each other? I talked to three doctors, six nurses and two aides. They all ask the same questions, that I answer the same way ("..No, I don't feel too bad. The lasagne was okay..The just took a blood sample twenty minutes ago. The wristband is fine..") The goofy thing is they write everything down, and then will still ask the same thing ten minutes later. What do they do with all of that paperwork?
2. It is a royal pain to get up, unplug the IV from the wall, move the curtain, then try to maneuver the whole apparatus around the furniture to get to the restroom. Especially at two in the morning. I mean, you are awakened to take a sleeping pill anyway, you may as well use the facilities. And to be honest, I hate to ask the nurses to help me with that. I've got my reasons.
And finally the number one thing I have noticed about hospitals
1. Hospital gowns are still hospital gowns. The ties are still broke, and they still don't have a back to them. I try to figure out how to tie them up, but then I still end up laying on the knot. You can't win.
But actually you can. They did a great job with me, and I thank the doctors and nurses who treated me.
Back Tuesday with another So as I was Saying story.
We will talk soon
Jeff
10. In the past few years, the food has gotten worse. For a while, the hospitals tried to make their food somewhat palatable. Those days are long gone. They try to talk it up ("You are having the lasagne? It's good tonight."), but it doesn't help.
9. The beds are still hard. You can press the buttons, and move your upper body one way, and your legs another. But at the end of the day, the beds are still hard. And nothing can change that.
8. Doesn't it seem like the nurses are younger? Most of ones that cared for me, looked like they were 14 years old. They were very good, but young.
7. I like how they now scan your wristband when they do anything. Which is fine, but it feels like you are being checked out of a Wal-Mart. When they give you an aspirin, scan the band. Blood pressure check, lets see the band. Plate of lasagne? Where is your wrist?
6. They'll still wake you up to give you a sleeping pill. Don't get me started on that. I think it gives the nurses something to do at two in the morning ("..would you like a sleeping pill, sir?")
5. Finally they figured something out. It doesn't seem like such a big deal, but the in ER they would put the IV in your arm above the elbow. The floor nurses would say that they wanted them in the wrist. In my case, many times they would change it once I would get into the room. Some times I would have to ask, since it's far more comfortable in the wrist. Last week it was different when I was admitted. In the wrist, without asking. Only one IV stick? I considered that a victory.
4. Flat screen TV's with cable in all the rooms. That was cool. It didn't really bother me to sit in the ER examining room for three hours while they discussed what they wanted to do. There was SportsCenter, the Ellen Show, and two episodes of Pawn Stars to help pass the time ("..Look, I like it, but only at the right price..").
3. Why doesn't the staff talk to each other? I talked to three doctors, six nurses and two aides. They all ask the same questions, that I answer the same way ("..No, I don't feel too bad. The lasagne was okay..The just took a blood sample twenty minutes ago. The wristband is fine..") The goofy thing is they write everything down, and then will still ask the same thing ten minutes later. What do they do with all of that paperwork?
2. It is a royal pain to get up, unplug the IV from the wall, move the curtain, then try to maneuver the whole apparatus around the furniture to get to the restroom. Especially at two in the morning. I mean, you are awakened to take a sleeping pill anyway, you may as well use the facilities. And to be honest, I hate to ask the nurses to help me with that. I've got my reasons.
And finally the number one thing I have noticed about hospitals
1. Hospital gowns are still hospital gowns. The ties are still broke, and they still don't have a back to them. I try to figure out how to tie them up, but then I still end up laying on the knot. You can't win.
But actually you can. They did a great job with me, and I thank the doctors and nurses who treated me.
Back Tuesday with another So as I was Saying story.
We will talk soon
Jeff
Good job. Interesting but so true.
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