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I think this is a pervasive problem in hospitals today. I was in the hospital 5 weeks at the end of 2020, and I was very aware of all the extra challenges that

I think this is a pervasive problem in hospitals today. I was in the hospital 5 weeks at the end of 2020, and I was very aware of all the extra challenges that it brought to healing. Poor sleep due to lights/noise/interruptions, sleeping with a strange roommate who had their own sleep disruptions. Low quality food with few options, and very little fresh fruits and vegetables. On top of constant pain, boredom fear and isolation (despite all the people around). I understand the hospitals are resource constrained, and have reasons for many of the things they do, but at the same time I feel like rest, nutrition and psychological elements are largely ignored when designing today’s hospital experiences. For what it’s worth this was in Canada, so at least I didn’t have financial stresses in addition, but perhaps there are other countries more human in their approach to care.

bradknowles 5y ago
I was in the hospital for pancreatitis a few years ago, here in Austin. One thing that struck me was that they came around for their regular visits at least once every couple of hours, even with me being hooked up to all the machines. I never got to sleep more than one or two hours at a time for that entire period. And they screwed up my blood pressure medication and drove my Systolic up over 250, which lead to me learning a new level 10 of pain, and extended my stay in the hospital for a week. At least I learned that Morphine doesn’t work on me, but Dilaudid does. Whatever else a hospital is, it is typically not a place that is designed for rest and recuperation and overall patient wellness. They want to push their curatives on you as quickly as possible and without a lot of regard for your mental well being, so that they can get you out quickly and move on to the next patient. Think of it more like a MASH unit, where you’re only supposed to be there for a short period of time before they stabilize you and ship you out somewhere else. I grew up spending a great deal of my life in hospitals, because of my dad and his medical problems. And then my mom and her medical problems. But until recently, I never really understood things from their perspective. I hope I don’t develop hospital psychosis like my dad did, but I am definitely very wary of checking into a hospital unless there is no choice.

bradknowles 5y ago

I was in the hospital for pancreatitis a few years ago, here in Austin. One thing that struck me was that they came around for their regular visits at least once every couple of hours, even with me being hooked up to all the machines. I never got to sleep more than one or two hours at a time for that entire period. And they screwed up my blood pressure medication and drove my Systolic up over 250, which lead to me learning a new level 10 of pain, and extended my stay in the hospital for a week. At least I learned that Morphine doesn’t work on me, but Dilaudid does. Whatever else a hospital is, it is typically not a place that is designed for rest and recuperation and overall patient wellness. They want to push their curatives on you as quickly as possible and without a lot of regard for your mental well being, so that they can get you out quickly and move on to the next patient. Think of it more like a MASH unit, where you’re only supposed to be there for a short period of time before they stabilize you and ship you out somewhere else. I grew up spending a great deal of my life in hospitals, because of my dad and his medical problems. And then my mom and her medical problems. But until recently, I never really understood things from their perspective. I hope I don’t develop hospital psychosis like my dad did, but I am definitely very wary of checking into a hospital unless there is no choice.