On the 12th October I set off to go and see Henry as usual I walk in and walk over to my son to see this.
He had a nappy over his face, he had a blanket on him in a humidified incubator and he had his feeding tube hung up to the side of his incubator with a piece of sellotape. Why? Why would he possibly need a nappy over his face and why would this be acceptable?
Apparenly because his nurse was trying to sort a cannula in his left foot for some antibiotics and the light was too bright. Which was not in when I got there. Anyone who has had or know of anyone who has been in nicu knows that they have blankets over the top of their incubator so the light doesn’t shine on them, however this still confuses me as Henry’s eyes are nowhere near his feet… it is also important that when you’re feeding anyone through a NG tube that it is important to stay with them whilst the feed is being done and monitor them closely just incase the feed needs to be stopped immediately.
Colin got told off a few days prior as he was taking a photo of Henry and HOLDING his tube and the nurse said you can’t do that, you have to watch the baby at all times as Henry has desaturations. So why is this acceptable for a nurse who has been trained and knows the importance?
When I walked in I got the doctor straight away and said why have I walked into my son like this, the doctor said I’m not sure I will go and get his nurse, a student nurse then came over and said she’s so sorry she’s never seen anything like this. The nurse looking after Henry was nowhere to be seen, when I questioned this I got told that she was in the reception speaking to someone, another patients parent. If I remember correctly she only had Henry at this point as it was very quiet in nicu.
This was Henry’s last ever feed as after this feed his feeds got stopped due to an infection it was 8ml of milk, a tiny amount of milk that would have taken no longer than 30 seconds to hold and let go down.
If Colin and I put a nappy over Henry’s face and tied his tube up with and left him to go and speak to one of the other mums we would have had social services come to us and questions would have been asked regarding our parenting skills so why is this acceptable? Someone we trust to look and care for our babies while we can’t?
I took a photo straight away and it was sent to the matron and we still haven’t got the answers from an “investigation” being taken place about it so no doubt she is doing it to other baby’s in a vulnerable position.
Myself Harper and Henry all born prematurely and they have done a fantastic job im not saying the hospital is bad but on this particular day walking into this, seeing my son being treated like this is NOT ok!
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Credit https://www.facebook.com/jessica.johnston.9028
