Patient Transport Waiting Times
Does anyone have any suggestions as to how the issue of patients waiting for transport can be addressed?
I would welcome any suggestions or support. I am a radiographer qualified for 12 yrs this year and attitude towards patients waiting for transport home following their visits to OP depts has always been the same - it just takes ages. Patients are left in uncomfortable, unfamiliar surroundings and sometimes this is 2/3 times a week.
I am raising the issue at a meeting tomorrow but would like some practical advice. Today I stood helpless in front of an elderly gentleman desperate to get home. It is distressing for staff, visitors and the patient in question. We are in a climate of change and I think that this is an area that would make such a difference to so many of our patients.
Any suggestions??
Thank you for reading.
Trees
Now then "Trees". I'm a radiographer as well.
This seems to be an endemic problem throughout the NHS, and not just in radiology. I think the worst case I saw was a cancer patient who had been brought from a hospice for a CT follow up/staging appointment. The scan was over by 10:30. The trasnsport said they would pick her up before lunchtime. They then called and said it would be 15:00. Bad enough as that was 15:00 came and went, and in fact it got to 17:00 and we were closing the department for the night, leaving it with the on-call radiographers to deal with. Clearly this was unacceptable, and our own oncollogy ward was unable to accept the patient. In the end the department manager made a 999 call, of which the ambulance service has to respond, and take the patient to the most appropriate place of care.
In my current place of employent its not quite that bad, but there are still issues.
It's interesting that we have a discarge lounge but they are often unwilling to handle this kind of patient group.
The best thing we have found is that so long as the patient is kept warm, fed, and has been provided with a drink as required, and perhaps a book or newspaper, then you're doing the best you can.
Just keep making sure that the same 2 or 3 members of staff keep chatting to them so that they don't get too downhearted, and make sure they can access a toilet.
There should be a senior radiographer in charge or a lead radiographer, so perhaps that person could orgnise for a helper or radiographer to take the patient to the canteen if staffing will permit. In my trust we have special vouchers that enable staff to obtain meals for patient use - all managers can usually issue this.
I would avoid giving a patient a meal in the waiting room, as this is very undignifying, and completely unacceptable.
But the main thing is, keep the patient in the loop. Have no fear of telling them what you are doing to organise transport, and what response you are geting from the ambulance service.
Thanks for replying.
Following the meeting we have a plan in the pipeline for all patients visiting op depts throughout the hospital to be booked into our new discharge lounge when booked in with Transport.
Here they can be well looked after - with access to refreshments, nursing staff available; comfortable chairs, seperate male/female waiting areas. In the OP depts quite often the patients wait in an area more like a corridor with no staff available to look after them.
The discharge lounge is situated with it's own entrance, thus speeding up the pick up times. Nursing staff are on hand should any of them be taken ill.
All in all I think this is our best option and the transport co-ordinator is currently putting this into place for us. I hope it is successful as I can see it being a vast improvement for patients and staff alike. We just don't have enough staff to give these patients the attention that they deserve. The department is just too busy.
I shall keep you posted as to how it goes.
Thanks again for your input!
Trees