Report from the Select Committee on Nursing Homes (Registration).

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Nursing Homes (Registration)
Date:
1926
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report from the Select Committee on Nursing Homes (Registration). Source: Wellcome Collection.

    142/284 (page 116)
    27 April, 1926.] was going to convalesce this time, and I thought of this particular place where I am living now, Eastbourne. I did not know any special place. 1876. You are a nurse and you did not know of any special nursing home at Eastbourne ?—Well, I do not belong to Eastbourne, but I had happy memories of being there as a child. 1877. You wanted to go to a nursing home?—I wanted to go somewhere where I could be taken care of. 1878. What inquiries did you make to find out about the adequacy of the place? —I saw the sister of the ward, and she asked the priest to _ see me. He said he knew of a place; he used to work down there; and the put me in touch with a very good private nursing home there. I wrote and gave my circumstances and asked what the fees were, and so on, and if they could take me in. They wrote back and said: No, they were quite full up-—I have the letter here still—but they could recommend me to a private nursing home where I should be very comfortable. They gave the address, and, of course, I wrote straight away. I wrote and said exactly the same thing; I put it in professional language. I told them the operation I had had, and that I did not want any actual nursing attention, but I wanted to go to a nursing home or partiy convalescent home where I could get a certain amount of care, but no special night nursing or any- thing like that; and when could they take me. They wrote back that they would be very pleased to have me; they had a very nice room; very cheerful, and so on, and there was room on Thursday. T said [ would come down in an am- ‘bulance, and I went down with two nurses in the ambulance as arranged. When I got there I was carried upstairs into a little tiny back room; there was no nurse, no servant, no nothing. There was quite a plausible little woman in attendance. I had practically lost my voice. I was feeling very ill after the journey. The nurse said: ‘‘ You cannot lie in a bed like this. Where is the pillow? 7) Dy said: -““Do' ‘not fuss. Let me lie still, whatever happens.’’ All I wanted was to be let alone just that night. When I began to cope with the good lady I said: ‘‘ Where are the nurses? ’’—‘‘T have done a little nurs- ing.’’ I said: ‘‘I have heard that tale before. Where did you do a little nurs- [| Continued. ing? ’?’—‘‘ Oh, during the War I used to. sit Up;’’ I. said: *“ Yessir tet of pepple did; but I believe you take in patients here? ’’—‘‘ Yes, we had another stretcher case on Tuesday.’’ I said: ‘‘ What is that? ’’—‘“‘ That is a fractured femur, an old lady of 80. A doctor sent her here.”’ That was quite true; that old lady is still there. I immediately asked for a doctor. I said: ‘Is there. any dbctor near here? ’’—‘‘ Yes, next door there is a doctor,’’ I said: ‘‘ A panel doctor? ’’ —‘* Yes.’? He came in; I saw him alone and I said: ‘‘ Whatever sort of place am IT landed in? I came here thinking it was a nursing home. I have it in black and white. As soon as she caught sight of me she put an extra guinea on. I cannot possibly afford it. Can you get me any- where; what can I do?”’ He said: “TI can get you somewhere for seven guineas.’’ J said: ‘‘ That is quite impos- sible. My father helps me a certain amount, but I cannot do it.” TI said: ‘“Are there any Queen’s nurses here? ’” I could not have that woman touch my back. She did nothing for me; she did not know what had been the matter. She did not understand my words. She did not realise that I had had an opera- tion and did not know what I meant. I said: “TI can get in and out of bed and I can wash myself. I am certainly going to get better. I do not intend to lie and die here.’? There was no sun; it was an absolutely dark room. I am very proud of my profession. A nurse I got to know very kindly came in and helped me to get a little bit better, and bit by bit I crawled out and got a little better. The point I want to make is that the old lady is still there. I left, of course, when i: was well enough, and could afford to go anywhere else. 1879. But you were only able to get. any attention by getting somebody of your own in from outside?—Yes, who very nobly came and did it, and lately | have been able to repay that by helping this poor old lady who is still there and was covered with bed sores. Of course, be weak point is this: people say: Why stay in a place like that,’’ because one does not know where to go. I said to the doctor: ‘ ‘Where am I to goP ’’ and he could not tell me. 1880. When you consulted the doctor about this he had no suggestion to offer ? —No, nothing whatever. There are several cases like that. I+ is a tragedy. I nursed this old lady quite recently.