My Dad had a bowel operation on Friday. So me and my family were going to go up to my parent's place tomorrow so I could visit him with my Mum. Except my wife is poorly, some kind of mild flu type symptomps. I'm ok if a little tired.
So what's the risk? I thought colds etc were spread by touching things, so if I use the hand spray and don't touch anything wouldn't I be ok even if I was carrying whatever my wife has?
Ring the ward and ask for their opinion. They might be able to give her a face mask.
I thought colds etc were spread by touching things,
No, spread by droplet.
If you've anything other than mild symptoms, it might be worth giving it a miss. Certainly wouldn't encourage your wife to go. You don't say how big a bowel operation, but a postop chest infection is decidedly unfunny, so why take the risk?
Andy
I would be more worried about what you may bring back from a hospital than take, use the hand gels before and after a visit.My dad got C DIFF and MRSA,courtesy of people not using the hand gels, and was really ill.
Hope your dad makes a good recovery.
What i was trying to say above was, infections can be taken into and out of hospitals, but usually theyre more of a problem for people who are ill or being treated for something, than those visiting, who are usually fit.
Have been visiting my mum who is in a ward which has been closed to visitors due to the novo virus sickness bug. She is very poorly and unlikely to recover from her latest bad turn. Have been able visit whenever and stay as long as!
As above, call ward and ask for advice, just remember they could be very busy.......And different shifts have different ways of working!
Sad days, Trekster:(
My first thought was to call the ward actually.
Ask the ward.
And yes, colds can be spread by droplets, but the most common way colds are spread, along with every other infection we commonly get, is by hand.
Get bugs on hand, touch door handle, phone, keyboard, hard surface, keys, credit card, magazine, etc, etc,..
Common cold viruses tend not to be a major source of infection in post surgery patients, but attention to detail in terms of hand washing and not touching anything, not 'I'll just give her a kiss/Hold her hand and so on' will do no harm.
When I was last in hospital not a single nurse, doctor or consultant washed their hand before / after examining me despite there being 12 boxes of latex gloves (god knows why so many), two alcohol dispensers and a sink in the room only 3' from my bed.....
NB I was in there for prostrate infection as well!
It's no wonder infections are so rife in hospitals.
Thats sad to read Trekster 🙁
Last time I was in hospital the doctors and nurses were great at using the hand gel dispensers just a shame the admin staff seemed oblivious to them.
Hope your mum makes a recovery trekster,my dad did despite the odds being against him surviving.
footflaps - MemberWhen I was last in hospital not a single nurse, doctor or consultant washed their hand before / after examining me despite there being 12 boxes of latex gloves (god knows why so many), two alcohol dispensers and a sink in the room only 3' from my bed.....
NB I was in there for prostrate infection as well!
It's no wonder infections are so rife in hospitals.
Just to offer a balance to that, the ICCU and and Neuro ward I were on were very clean, the rehab ward not so much, but all the customers there were medically well
Didn't go. Everyone expressed reservations so I thought the extra stress would outweigh the benefit of seeing my ugly mug.
Call the ward and ask their opinion.
The nurses on the ward are likely to be the better people to speak to regarding infection control than 'a doctor'. This is because many wards have their own, specific to risk, infection control procedures and usually these are coordinated by a nurse specialist.
The normal advice is not to go if you have an infection - certainly in the hospitals I work in