I've seen the film and liked it. You know, I'd never argue the fact that what you describe does indeed happen. It's really sad that some medical professionals lack the compassion that our patients and family need.
martybarker- Years ago, I remember meeting a woman who was a social worker. Her job, which at the time was the first of its kind, was to work with medical students, to teach them "bedside manner".
There is much more to getting a person well, than correct diagnoses, and appropriate medications.
Linkat, I'm sorry to hear about your Nana's recent bad experience in hospital. I'm assuming you're in America and I don't know much about hospitals over there but I did do nursing for a while here in the Uk and I am still traumatised by some of the things I saw.
Yes I do think old people are treated differently and it genuinely scares me to think that one day I might be at the mercy of people like some of those I used to work with. I have a lot of respect for nurses as it's backbreaking work but the lack of compassion I came across in some staff was astonishing.
Phoenix32890 wrote:I speak from many years of living, having numerous trips to the hospital, both for myself and other people.
You're really on the outside, looking in, until you've worked in a hospital, on the floors.
If anyone thinks that "age" determines quality of medical care in an hospital, then one needs to examine the effect of "race" on that same quality of care.
Do you think minorities, without health insurance, are treated as well as upper middle class white folks?
I guess that's a good question. Would african-americans be treated differently in a predominately white area and would white people be treated differently in a hospital located in a predominately african-american area?
But I think the initial point being made was the fact that the elderly are nearing the end of their lives and is this why they are possibly treated differently than normaly young and vibrant people.
miller wrote
Quote:Do you think minorities, without health insurance, are treated as well as upper middle class white folks?
That isn't the issue being discussed here though is it Miller?
Dorothy Parker wrote:miller wrote
Quote:Do you think minorities, without health insurance, are treated as well as upper middle class white folks?
That isn't the issue being discussed here though is it Miller?
I beg to differ, but it is, only you don't realize that it is.
Quote:What does working on the floors have to do with the differences in quality of care given to the elderly?
Who said that it did, phoenix?
Quote:For many hospital personnel, IMO the attitude is, "Well, his life is over. I am not going to waste my time on him".
As this is your opinion Phoenix, who else in the healthcare profession believes as you do?
Perhaps you have a feeling of guilt, relative to care of the elderly.
Have you been the one, who's been negligent in this regard?
Quote:I would assume that some medical personnel would figure that it made more sense to spend more time with the young person, who had his whole life ahead of him.
Why would you figure this, Phoenix? What are the facts?
Do illegals without health insurance receive the same standard of care as US citizens with health insurance?
I'm seeing the points being made here. So I can speak for myself and the medical professionals that I personally work with, we do not discriminate against race or age. We provide quality care and compassion equally to everyone who comes into our department.
Now believe me, there are situations that you have to step back, take a breath and evaluate the individual situation. Getting woken up at 2 am for an emergency gunshot wound and you are trying to provide the surgeons adequate information to save this individual and they are biligerant, threatening, spitting, and just plain nasty. Still we try our best to be patient and do what is best for our patient. Or how about the IV drug abuser who is so preoccupied with getting you to give him more drugs that he wont hold still for a 15 minute procedure which ends up taking an hour and therefore delaying other patients in need.
There is a very big picture here and unfortunately the situation mentioned in this thread really give us health care workers a bad name.
So for argument sake, do health care professionals get a bad rap?? Generally speaking.
When an elderly person is admitted to the hospital, he/she should have with them ( at all times, if possible ) a good friend or a family member, who can speak up for them. This would help the Staff as well benefit the patient.
Miller wrote
Quote:I beg to differ, but it is, only you don't realize that it is.
I believe the original question was something along the lines of "Are the elderly treated differently in hospitals?"
Quote:When an elderly person is admitted to the hospital, he/she should have with them ( at all times, if possible ) a good friend or a family member, who can speak up for them. This would help the Staff as well benefit the patient.
So....
Third World Hospital Customs ensure good care for patients in U.S. hospitals.
Noddy24 wrote:Quote:When an elderly person is admitted to the hospital, he/she should have with them ( at all times, if possible ) a good friend or a family member, who can speak up for them. This would help the Staff as well benefit the patient.
So....
Third World Hospital Customs ensure good care for patients in U.S. hospitals.
Good care relies ( in part ) on good communication between patient and Staff. For the elderly, good communication may be achieved by having present either a family member or a caring, knowledgable friend.
