9th Mar 10
UK hospital patients treated in corridors and TV rooms
by Katie Naylor
A new survey has revealed that many hospital patients are being routinely treated in TV rooms, mop cupboards and corridors due to overcrowding in the nation’s hospitals.
The survey found that kitchens and other storage areas were also used while extra beds were put on wards, which can increase the risk of infection ten fold.
The poll of over 900 nurses for an industry publication found that 63 per cent were of patients being placed in areas not designated for clinical care. Almost eight in 10 responded by saying they believed this resulted in the safety of the patient being put at risk.
Of those who were aware of the practice, 29 per cent said it happened every day, a further 29 per cent said it happened several times a week. 11 per cent responded by saying that it happened once a month.
In the survey, nurses also pointed out specific issues regarding safety, including patients having no access to call bells or water, as well as the lack of emergency equipment and fire exits being blocked. A total of 83 per cent of respondents said that they had raised the matter with senior staff however only 4 per cent said that the practice had been stopped.
Reasons being cited for the use of non-clinical areas included that the hospital was too full, A&E being placed under pressure or a risk that the Government’s four hour target for people to be seen in A&E may be breached, leading to unnecessary hospital admissions. Many others said that the move had been authorised by senior managers, while some nurses said that they had been bullied and accused of not being a cooperative team player.
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