How Could They Keep Me From My Husband?

[Monkeyman]

A no-visitor policy at the Hampton VA psychiatric unit. Has this widow questioning her husbands care.



When Nancy Washabaugh admitted her husband to the psychiatric unit at Hampton Veterans Affairs Center in January, she was hopeful.

Two weeks later, 63-year-old Floyd Washabaugh was dead. A state medical examiner said the cause was a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot that enters the lung's arteries.Pulmonary embolism is the third-leading cause of hospital deaths, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can be caused by prolonged bed rest or inactivity, which is why hospitals encourage patients to get out of bed as quickly as possible after surgery.

Nancy can't say how often Chip moved around while in Hampton. Other than one consultation-where he appeared unwashed and unkempt- she was not allowed to see him.

http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/dp-99705sy0apr08,0,5703740.story?coll=dp-news-local-final

[babylonsister]

1. That's so tragic, and possibly illegal-from the article:

That policy, in effect at the hospital since 2004, appears to violate the patient rights laid out by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

It also appears to violate generally accepted medical practice.

"I have never heard of a psychiatric unit that never permits visitors," said Margaret Walsh, director of the office of human rights for Virginia's mental health department, "and I have been in this field since 1967."

[Monkeyman]

3. Thing I wonder did they four coner him. Locked down on legs and arms

[youngdem]

2. The ONLY reason to have a no visit policy is mistreatment

The ONLY one.

[Monkeyman]

4. There are two hyerlink video's at link

[EFerrari]

5. This is par for the course for families that deal with mental illness.

Not good. If they can separate you from your family, who is looking out for you? No one.

:mad:

Edit to add: Doug was in the same situation and I got NO cooperation until the asshole director was told I was publishing a book about Doug's care. No kidding. :puke:

[Truthiness Inspector]

7. Scary that this seems prevalent

It's frightening to think of how many patients may be abused and/or neglected, with the family being kept at bay.

[EFerrari]

8. After a decade of listening to our families, I think it's probably SOP.

And, that's a problem.

Families get demonized or dismissed or otherwise taken out of the action.

That's a problem

You don't leave a helpless person in the hands of strangers. :shrug:

[madrchsod]

6. "one flew over the cuckoo`s nest"?

sure sounds like it

[Alameda]

9. alone in the hospital

I hate think of anyone left alone in the hospital with no advocate to look out for their well being. Very dangerous, I'm afraid to say.

[Monkeyman]

11. It is SOP

[nam78_two]

10. K&R.nt