The Nurse Arrives. Skin Integrity Scare.

Just when I thought all was well, Arthur has a tender spot on his bottom where his bone is close to the surface. The nurse came today and applied a dressing that helps to protect the skin from breaking down.We are worried he may get a bedsore.  I am going to use pillows to alternate the pressure points. Arthur can only lay on his back so I position him in such a way to change the weight-bearing areas.

He has a memory-foam mattress that was very expensive, which is supposed to help prevent bed sores, especially when I use positioning cushions. I am changing Arthur's position a number of times a day and encouraging him to release the pressure on his hips by raising them while holding the bed pole. Arthur still has strength in his arms and shoulders. I am getting a lot of information from the Mayo Clinic online.

After his wash in the hospital bed in the lounge-room the two workers were going to leave. One said she understood that they were wash him, make him comfortable in that bed and then leave.  The other worker, who is from a relief agency was happy to do anything Arthur needed. I referred to Arthur's care plan and advised that there was nothing to say they couldn't help nim get out of bed and walk into his bedroom where I could put him back in his own bed. They then did help him to do that, but the nurse who was there said she would check with XX service provider to see if they were allowed to do it. I explained I was trying to limit the number of Arthur's transfers I did on my own so I did not get exhausted too quickly.

It will all come down to time, depending on how much they can do in an half hour. The workers get really pressed for time.  I have had workers come who have been double booked and need to shortchange each client to get them both done, and workers who are booked for consecutive clients with no travelling time factored in to the roster and too little time allowed for the number of things they need to do for a client.  I am not sure how XX service provider's workers are treated, as they are in and out so quickly that I do not get to talk to them very much, and I shouldn't expect much to be revealed when there are two here together.

Arthur is comfortable now and as it will be 35 degrees Celsius today, I will put the air-conditioner on for him. 

(Note: I am not naming service providers, hence  XX, who is Arthur's current provider, a different one from X, our previous provider mentioned in earlier posts.)