Temperature in Hospitals

Post by **Richard** » 29 Jan 2009, 14:28

I had about a seven year gap of Hospital visits, but in the last three month's or so have been there four times.

I know I'm not a heat freak, but my goodness, I sit in the waiting rooms boiling.
Is it just me who thinks it's a Gods gift for Virus's multiplying themselves ?

The time before last, it was really cold and I had my Long Johns on. I came out feeling I'd put on three stone in one hour but probably lost half a stone in liquid!

I guess they have to allow for people stripping and moving the elderly around, but to me it seems too hot.

Also, a few degrees drop on the thermostats around the Country would cut some of those Bills enormously.

I know they have the anti-bacteria hand washes everywhere nowadays, but it can't be doing the majority a lot of good.

Or am I talking preverbrials !!

kate egg · Post by **kate egg** » 29 Jan 2009, 14:30

I know exactly what you mean, and the wards are so hot, and the windows never open )ang

Hope all went well )t'

Post by **Mad Chick** » 29 Jan 2009, 14:41

I had to go in for some x-rays on my dodgy wrist last week. I sat and shivered in the waiting room for over an hour :shock:

They must be stingy in Berkshire as well )gr:

Lucy x

Babycakes · Post by **Babycakes** » 29 Jan 2009, 14:44

I was boiled in my skin at night on the maternity ward when I had Grace. Thankfully we had a nice, sensible sister who came down the ward every moring and threw the windows open, announcing that fresh air would blow the germs away and do the babies good.
Then the domestics came round and stripped the ward when the mums went for breakfast in a sort of common room - they pulled beds, lockers, everything out into the middle and cleaned and mopped behind and under. It was very reassuring considering the horror stories you hear about hospitals these days.

Post by **Richard** » 29 Jan 2009, 14:54

Interesting - some hot, some cold !

I wonder if there's a legal set temperature or a legal minimum.

Meanqueen · Post by **Meanqueen** » 29 Jan 2009, 16:04

I have the same problem if I go anywhere hot, Richard. I am reluctant to leave the house with anything less than my normal multi layers, so half an hour in a hot place and I am peeling them off.

When I was rushed in, in the middle of the night in March, I just grabbed all my day clothes that I had been wearing and hurriedly put them all on while waiting for the ambulance. When we got to hospital they wanted to prod me and were amazed how long it took them to find my abdomen. :-D

Then they took me to a ward and I had to ask for help to take some more layers off, it was boiling hot.

Ilona

Bollybarb · Post by **Bollybarb** » 29 Jan 2009, 16:23

Part of the problem is it is centrally controlled (or in our hospital it is) and you have to phone to get the temp' adjuststed.

Also everyone has a diffrent limit some happy in an ambient temp of 15 others are happier in 22, ce la vie!!

I'm aware that if the temp is below 14 the children need to be sent home from school, talking of which it's pick up time!!

Post by **Richard** » 29 Jan 2009, 17:20

I should add I had an Ultrasound Appointment at 10.30. I went in at 10.30, came out at 10.40.
This has been the story for the last appointments as well.

So things down here are getting a lot lot better.

Bok bok bok · Post by **Bok bok bok** » 29 Jan 2009, 19:24

Hope everything went well Richard.

Maternity wards are the HOTTEST places on earth!! All those tiny babies needing to keep warm versus all the hormonal ladies slowly cooking! )c+

During my recent stint with the NHS I had to ask for a fan! when they told me I was changing wards I told them I would only go if my fan could come too!! It got to the point that people thought i'd brought it in with me!!

x

Bollybarb · Post by **Bollybarb** » 29 Jan 2009, 19:39

You were lucky to get a fan, our trust has banned them as an infection risk!

Ryan · Post by **Ryan** » 31 Jan 2009, 00:09

I thought it was just me being a little on the chubby side (I think its just my winter blubber honest!)

My dad goes to hospital a lot and I always strip off to a t shirt when I go to visit as its baking in there.

I thought the same as Richard - its a breeding ground gone mad, no wonder MRSA is abundant.

Ry

Bollybarb · Post by **Bollybarb** » 31 Jan 2009, 17:18

Warning: Bossy Nurse alert!!
If you are visting hospitals the alcohol hand rubs are great but people do need to wash their hands as well, the rub is 'as well as' not instead of washing hands.
Lecture over!!

Lilo-Lil · Post by **Lilo-Lil** » 31 Jan 2009, 19:14

When my mum was in hosp last year, I parked outside and walked in, to save on the pricey parking. The first few times I would get all wrapped up, walk for 10 mins and then find it was boiling on the ward and I was in danger of melting!

I ended up marching briskly along in Feb wearing only a t-shirt, and this worked out fine unless it was raining, in which case I had to wear a coat. Then I got too hot on the ward again!

My mum used to get so hot she had to have the window open. She was confined to bed with only a sheet and thin blanket, 70 and not very mobile, but even so it must have been unbearable for her in there.

What ever happened to throwing the windows wide open to get some fresh air in? I was taught nursing by an old-school matron and we had to ventilate the rooms after breakfast without fail!

Bollybarb · Post by **Bollybarb** » 31 Jan 2009, 19:17

Yes i remember doing that! air conditioning is not the same.

The only window that opens in my ward is the sluice, thankful that that one opens!! LOL

echelon · Post by **echelon** » 01 Feb 2009, 17:11

I overheat very easily and when I was in having my youngest son I started to run temperatures. I told the midwife that it wasn't due to infection, but that the ward was too hot and I felt like I was going to pass out all the time. They fixed me up with a fan and that helped a bit.

After I'd had my son I used to keep him covered, but not wrapped up and whenever I'd been asleep, the midwives had come in, wrapped him up so that he resembled a little torpedo, then gone out. By the time I found him, he'd be irritable and red faced! It was ridiculous and I was glad to get home!

I notice that our doctors surgery isn't as overheated as it used to be and now it's quite comfortable. They'll have done it to cut down on heating bills, but it's much nicer now and a much more realistic temperature and everyone has stopped complaining about it being overheated now.

Bacteria/viruses are happier when it's warm, so I can't understand why hospitals/clinics crank their heating up so much.