In-patient care.

[pigs-might-fly]

SWMBO is going into the Costa del Sol Hospital (Health service) soon for a hip job.
Can anyone with recent -in-patient experience tell me if family members are expected to carry out non-medical nursing, such as assisting to the toilet, putting on clothes or bringing bedpans?
I consider such assistance to be the job of the nursing staff, but have heard that Spanish practice is not the same as one would expect in a UK NHS hospital.

[karandjon]

I was in hospital last year for 6 days, though in Costa de la Luz, not CDS. And yes, family members are expected to carry out the non-medical duties, as much as is possible. This made a lot of sense to us, as the medical care we received was second to none. It freed up the trained medical staff's time, so they were able to carry out professional duties, whilst family were on hand to assist with going to the loo, dressing etc. However, on occasion, when my husband had popped home to feed the pets and pick up some stuff for me, and i needed assistance, i just rang the buzzer and a nurse came very quickly and was more than happy to help me. I am not sure if that would be the case if you did it all the time though.
I am not sure whose responsibilty it would be re bedpans etc as i never had one, but bedbaths were given by the nurses.
HTH

[aquaman]

Recently had experience at the CDS Hospital, close relative. I found that yes the family did spend a lot of time at the hospital, quite often if the patient is really ill they stay overnight in the room, they have a resonably comfortable chair. The rooms are 2 beds with a bathroom. However the impression I got is that if you are not there the patient is looked after very well by the staff, nothing is too much trouble. Do tell the patient not to hesitate to press the buzzer, that's what it's for. I found everyone very helpfull. Some do speak a little English. At reception in the Accident and Emergency dept they have a booklet in English which was very helpful. Re drinks I think they only get a hot drink at breakfast, and tea time. But there are coffee and snack machines on every floor by the lift. The auxilarys wear pale green, the porters blue and the nurses white. Visiting time, any time up to about 10pm, then one person only is allowed to be there. The patient can receive phone calls in the rooms, however unless they are mobile they cannot reach the phone which is too high above the bed !!!!

[anis]

My OH had a very successful knee replacement op at Malaga Uni hospital very recently.
Bedpan was a bit of an issue in the early nights after the op.
As Aquaman says, 2 patients to a room and be prepared not to sleep because Spanish family members stay up watching TV blasting away till the early hours - my fella took sleeping pills in the end. You can stay overnight on the chair and sleep which might be a good idea for the first two nights.
They had him up and about asap and he was fine then. Take you own crutches with you from day one.
Meals - no salt - even the Spanish take a salt cellar in with them. We fed our patient with home made meals because he wasn't overkeen on the menu. Breakfast is a simple affair of bread, butter and jam. There is coffee and hot chocolate machine but we used to take flasks of tea because that wasn't available. A better option may have been to take a small travel kettle.
The staff are very kind and helpful and you can visit whenever you want - it is actively encouraged, just leave for the cafe when cleaning staff or nurses come in. You don't even need your own pyjamas, just a dressing gown for when they want to get about and some slippers.
He was able to use his mobile phone fine and could charge it up there.
A really good tip for you, finally. Take a laptop and lots of films, as well as books and magazines. You won't get on the net but can play games etc., because TV is in Spanish and often they want football on.
We cannot speak highly enough of the care he was given and follow up appointments. This is the third time one of us has been in hospital here. We chose to do our own physiotherapy course afterwards ( based on previous experience ) and he has now progressed to speeding along on a fixed cycle at home. He could hardly turn the pedals first day. He was in hospital for 7 days. Can often be spotted nowadays doing a celebratory disco dance in the garden !!

[pigs-might-fly]

I have had two cataract replacements done at HCDS, and agree that the medical care is exemplary.
However, I just don't see why families are expected to act as ward orderlies!
Patient care is more than changing dressings and should not require outside help for more mundane things.
Frankly if I was in hospital, (and I have been, in the UK, on other occasions), the last thing I want is family hanging round all the time. A quick 30 minute visit is plenty of time to exchange news - more is just talking for the sake of talking!

[Ursula]

I had an operation in Antequera and I can say I was so glad that my partner was able to stay with me 24/7. Although I can speak Spanish, when you are not feeling well, it is those close to you who know and understand you that can help the most. And the other thing is if you ring that damn bell it makes such a noise and will disturb others during the night (or day).

I cannot praise the hospital staff enough for all they did. The hospital was spotless, more than you can say for some in the UK.

I think that it is the nature of the Spanish to help wherever they can without complaining that "its not my job, why should I do it?" One example of that is that a lot of Spanish women can be seen at 7 am mopping (yes mopping) the pavements - they are not doing it for praise, they just have their own high standards. In the UK, however, (and Brits that live in Spain have been heard saying it too) they complain about the dirty streets and say its not their job, they pay their council tax, etc. etc. etc.

That is the difference - the attitude. Ole to the Spanish.

[pigs-might-fly]

Given the huge sums charged in the U.K. for Council Tax, yes - I expect streets to be cleaned, bins emptied weekly, police on the beat and all the many other essential services, (not including the politically correct non-jobs which proliferate), which your local council should provide.
If I pay for a service I expect it to be carried out!

[anis]

I wrote lots - wiped out.

[pigs-might-fly]

[chrissiehope]

Slightly off topic, but I have just been in hospital in UK where there was a Spanish nurse (male) working. He was asked if he would go back to live & work in Spain (he's been in NW UK for 12 years now), and he replied yes - provided he could get the job security & pay in Spain that he gets in UK. Apparently the Spanish NHS system only employs nurses on a 3 month contract - if they don't have the patients, the staff are laid off....

[karandjon]

Reading all the posts Pigs, looks like you'd best be getting those sleeves rolled up and ready for action, looking after your better half whilst she's laid up in hospital.

Like the others, I appreciated having my hubby there to do things for me when i was unable to myself...Although you don't think you should "have" to do these things for your wife, do you not "want" to do them, to make life that little bit nicer for her during her time in hospital?

[pigs-might-fly]

I now know that the policy of the Hospital CDS is that no more than 1 family member may stay the night and that entirely and wholly if they wish to do so.
(According to the interpreter we spoke to, when HCDS was built, it was intended to operate without the benefit of family non-nursing care, but the 1 overnight rule was a concession to Spanish tradition and not due to after care policy)
Normal visiting hours end at 2100 and, of course there is no real restriction on who may be in the room, but they do ask, if possible, for visitors to limit numbers before 1100, when cleaning and medical care is at its busiest. They are pretty quick to hustle you out if dressings need to be changed and so on, but there is a family's waiting room in the ward complex.
We cannot fault the medical AND nursing care: the place is continually being cleaned, even to the extent of a fresh mop head being used for every two-bed room.
Nurses attend pretty promptly then the buzzer is pressed, the food is - well, hospital food, rather like the curate's egg - good in parts.
I have spent most of the day in the ward, mainly for company as SWMBO has a low boredom threshold!
Thankfully, not much Spanish TV and no football: yippee!
So far, a very positive experience, but HCDS is noted as being one of the best in Spain, not just in Andalucia.

[anis]

Very pleased to hear the experience is positive and wish your OH well on recovery.
You are quite right, it is a cultural thing. I think that some of the Spanish dominated South American countries must have copied it from their colonial hosts.
I had to remove my daughter from a Venezuelan hospital once because she hadn't slept for a week due to all the noise from her boyfriend's family who arrived and stayed in droves.

[pigs-might-fly]

SWMBO is now home, so my REAL work now starts!
The only negative thing was the loony-driving ambulance driver who brought her home single handedly, too, even though they knew there were stairs to our apartment!
Bravely she struggled up on foot.

[katy]

The CDS Hospital is good, my OH worked there voluntarily for about a year. Most of the Doctors are very pleasant. The only bad point is allowing so many family members to stay until 1am and longer. My friend was in the next room to a man not expected to live and all week there was about 6 of the family around until 1am, they were noisy and laughing loud

Carlos Haya/Hospital Civil in Málaga is awful. It appears very Victorian and the tiles are dirty. My OH had treatment there and there was always lots of Gypsy types and problems with altercations so that Security was increased.

[pigs-might-fly]

Yes, Carlos Haya is seriously primitive - an old-fashioned Spanish hospital in every way. A friend of ours was there for a brain tumour and we visited him and were underwhelmed by the place.