Plans for today (2019-2022)

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mjd said:
drivers aren't allowed to leave the premises in case there are complications.
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So if there were complications what is the driver supposed to do to help? It doesn't make sense to me. Far as I can tell this rule doesn't apply in the UK. The only ruling is that you need someone to drive you home.
 
Morning Glory said:
So if there were complications what is the driver supposed to do to help? It doesn't make sense to me. Far as I can tell this rule doesn't apply in the UK. The only ruling is that you need someone to drive you home.
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The doctor would call 911 (our emergency number) in the event of complications. The driver would then follow the paramedics to the hospital to provide any information needed regarding the patient's health history and/or who to contact for that info.

The purpose of the driver is to remove liability (from the doctor and his/her staff) so the patient isn't driving after the sedative and someone can get them home and stay with them for several hours after the procedure.
 
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mjd said:
The purpose of the driver is to remove liability (from the doctor and his/her staff) so the patient isn't driving after the sedative and someone can get them home and stay with them for several hours after the procedure.
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I understand but it's a bit silly. After I was released from my heart attack, the nurse that released me said I must not drive for 28 days. I asked what would happen if I did. She said that if I had an accident my car insurance would be invalid and I could be prosecuted for the criminal offense of driving without insurance. How can anyone be liable if a patient take no notice of a medical professionals advice ?
 
Morning Glory said:
So if there were complications what is the driver supposed to do to help? It doesn't make sense to me. Far as I can tell this rule doesn't apply in the UK. The only ruling is that you need someone to drive you home.
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I talked to my SIL yesterday, retired nurse, and she did a few years at a GI clinic, and she shed a little more light on it:

1. In case something goes amiss, they don't want to have to add tracking you down to tell you to their duties. They want you right there.

2. Once the procedure is done, they want the patient up and out of there ASAP. Regardless of how groggy you are, once you break wind the first time after the procedure, you're deemed dischargeable, and they want the bed space in the prep/recovery room freed up for the next person.

3. Along the same lines as above, once they drug the patient, if they get in there and find, for whatever reason, that they can't proceed, they want them out of the clinic so they can get to the next patient.

She also mentioned that, during normal times, as soon as they're done, they go and get the driver to sit with the patient, making sure they don't try to get up and wander around, and to listen for that first all-clear fart. With Covid, no one's allowed in the clinic, which means someone from staff has to sit there with them, and that slows down the whole "get 'em in, get 'em out" process.
 
TastyReuben said:
I talked to my SIL yesterday, retired nurse, and she did a few years at a GI clinic, and she shed a little more light on it:

1. In case something goes amiss, they don't want to have to add tracking you down to tell you to their duties. They want you right there.

2. Once the procedure is done, they want the patient up and out of there ASAP. Regardless of how groggy you are, once you break wind the first time after the procedure, you're deemed dischargeable, and they want the bed space in the prep/recovery room freed up for the next person.

3. Along the same lines as above, once they drug the patient, if they get in there and find, for whatever reason, that they can't proceed, they want them out of the clinic so they can get to the next patient.

She also mentioned that, during normal times, as soon as they're done, they go and get the driver to sit with the patient, making sure they don't try to get up and wander around, and to listen for that first all-clear fart. With Covid, no one's allowed in the clinic, which means someone from staff has to sit there with them, and that slows down the whole "get 'em in, get 'em out" process.
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OK - makes sense now. Its all about turnaround.
 
Burt Blank said:
I understand but it's a bit silly. After I was released from my heart attack, the nurse that released me said I must not drive for 28 days. I asked what would happen if I did. She said that if I had an accident my car insurance would be invalid and I could be prosecuted for the criminal offense of driving without insurance. How can anyone be liable if a patient take no notice of a medical professionals advice ?
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I understand your point, but it's really there just to protect the doctors and hospital staff.

Let's say that you drove during that 28 day period and got stressed out and had another heart attack which lead to a three car accident killing those in the other vehicles. You and your family could bring a lawsuit against the doctor and/or staff stating that you were not aware of the risks of driving so soon after your heart attack. Granted, it is VERY difficult to bring a suit against medical staff because it usually requires another doctor to state there was negligence and most of them will not speak poorly about others in the same field.

This kind of explains it better. Bottom line, it's only about protecting a doctor and his/her staff from lawsuits and keeping their malpractice insurance rates as low as possible.

https://dreamlegalteam.com/signed-waiver-medical-sue/
 
Just for fun, speaking of driving after illness:

After MrsT had her stroke, she wasn't allowed to drive until cleared by her neurologist. During her first followup, he checked her for this and for that, went over her brain scans, but never mentioned driving.

As the appointment was winding up, she finally asked about it, and he asked, "Well, do you think you're ok to drive?"

Keep in mind, she was less than a month out of a three-week+ hospital stay, with months of PT and OT ahead of her, still slow to speak and slow to focus on things.

"I don't know, I guess that's why I'm asking," she replied.

"Well, only one way to find out. When you feel ready to drive, drive. That's my advice!"

And that was that. :laugh:
 
TastyReuben said:
Just for fun, speaking of driving after illness:

After MrsT had her stroke, she wasn't allowed to drive until cleared by her neurologist. During her first followup, he checked her for this and for that, went over her brain scans, but never mentioned driving.

As the appointment was winding up, she finally asked about it, and he asked, "Well, do you think you're ok to drive?"

Keep in mind, she was less than a month out of a three-week+ hospital stay, with months of PT and OT ahead of her, still slow to speak and slow to focus on things.

"I don't know, I guess that's why I'm asking," she replied.

"Well, only one way to find out. When you feel ready to drive, drive. That's my advice!"

And that was that. :laugh:
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I had a colonoscopy in October because, you know, it's 2020 so why not? Anyway, they took me back at 9:45 am for prep and I was out the door and in the car by 11am. Seriously, the best sleep I had in months. And yes, husband had to leave his cell number and be within 15 minutes of facility. He just stayed in parking lot.
 
TastyReuben said:
Just for fun, speaking of driving after illness:

After MrsT had her stroke, she wasn't allowed to drive until cleared by her neurologist. During her first followup, he checked her for this and for that, went over her brain scans, but never mentioned driving.

As the appointment was winding up, she finally asked about it, and he asked, "Well, do you think you're ok to drive?"

Keep in mind, she was less than a month out of a three-week+ hospital stay, with months of PT and OT ahead of her, still slow to speak and slow to focus on things.

"I don't know, I guess that's why I'm asking," she replied.

"Well, only one way to find out. When you feel ready to drive, drive. That's my advice!"

And that was that. :laugh:
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Sounds like she had a doctor with a great bedside manner. How is MrsT. doing these days?
 
She's fine today, thanks. She's stringing lights on the tree. This is after she told me she was leaving it to me, then before I made it once around, she took them from me and finished them. :laugh:
 
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