Nurse Survey Shows Hospitals More Unclean Than We Know
Unclean and unsanitary conditions in hospitals are a factor in most of the infections picked up by patients in these hospitals, and the medical malpractice lawsuits arising from these. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about a million people every year contract an infection in a hospital. These infections may be minor enough to leave a person with nothing more than rashes, and may be as severe as an attack by flesh-eating bacteria.
For those of us who knew that unhygienic conditions in hospitals are a fact, comes a survey that shows we need to be a lot more afraid of these unsanitary conditions than we are right now. The survey was conducted by Consumer Reports, and includes responses by both patients and nurses. Consumers Reports surveyed 731 nurses assigned to operating rooms, emergency rooms etc this year. Last year, more than 13,540 readers were also polled about their or a family member's hospital stay, the previous year.
- About 4 percent of patients reported that they witnessed cleanliness issues, while 28 percent of nurses reported the same.
- Five percent of patients reported that staff sometimes failed to wash their hands before attending to a patient, compared to 26 percent of nurses.
- 13 percent of patients believed that there was improper coordination of care, compared to 38 percent of nurses.
Nurses advise patients to be involved in their medical care, right from the time they decide on a hospital.
- Choose your hospital wisely. If you are insured, get a list of hospitals, physicians and specialists who are included in your plan, and make a choice that suits your medical needs best. .
- Maintain an updated list of all the details that your hospital may need, including medications you are currently taking, any dietary supplements and over-the-counter drugs, and keep this list in your handbag or wallet. If you suffer from chronic conditions, take a summary of your symptoms and treatment history that includes all details, so you can fill out the admission form properly.
- Take along a family member to speak for you if you are too sick to do so. This person can speak with doctors on your behalf, and discuss treatment options. This helps coordinate care, and makes the process more time efficient.
- Ask your nurse to clean their hand in front of you before they attend to you.
- Check your medications before you take them. Medication errors are one of the leading causes of medical injuries
- Plan your discharge. Make sure you understand your medication schedule and other details. Many hospitals rank low for patient discharge instructions. If you're not clear about your own care after you leave the hospital, it could increase your chances of having to rush back to hospital with complications.
Scott Grossman is a Bergen County medical malpractice lawyer, representing victims of negligence by health care professionals in Bergen, Monmouth, Ocean and Passaic Counties, and across New Jersey.
