I would like that recovery to be as swift and comfortable as possible so come the 16th or so she's out; no doubt everyone feels that way when a loved one is an in patient.
So, when visiting hospitals, why do some families take risks with patient's health (that of both the person they are visiting and other patients)?
At the moment Addenbrooke's have big signs up: no more than two visitors per patient. (In smaller print it clarifies that this means just that; if the two leave the ward, no other should arrive). The reason for this is to cut down on the risks posed by flu and norovirus, both of which are present in their wards at the moment. The more people that visit, the greater the risk of more germs being brought in, and of people taking the germs away into the wider community.
On three occasions in the last week these rules have been broken by families visiting patients in Viv's bay; twice there were three visitors, and once four, for different patients. This puts the ward staff in a difficult position - they can't really order people out; it's surely down to the families to respect the request not to bring large groups of visitors into the hospital.
If one of these large groups does cop a dose of norovirus, where will they be heading? Yes, off to the NHS (GP maybe). It's a free service and we should respect that resources are constrained; when asked to do something we, the visitors, should b well do it.
Viv's only had the one visitor - me. The ward isn't a social club, she doesn't need more.
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