Hospital care hasn't changed at all... it's heartbreaking!

wiredsailor7 said:Is there any hope left? It’s obvious nothing positive has changed for patients stuck in hospitals for treatment—at least not at the Bjelovar Hospital.
The whole place still reeks of that old-school, authoritarian vibe, especially coming from the nursing staff.

Right now, my father-in-law is lying in the Bjelovar Hospital. He’s been in the ICU for six days now, and he isn't doing well. My wife tells me daily how terrible the medical care is there. For instance, the poor man lies on his back for nearly 24 hours straight without being turned, except for a few minutes in the morning when the nurses fix the sheets. He isn't getting his blood thinner injections, nor is anyone applying circulation cream to his back. One nurse actually told us, when we questioned her, "...well, we only do that if the patient asks for it..."

Here's another example: his arm where the IV is inserted got swollen, and only when we pointed it out did the nurses say, "Oh, wow, we didn't notice!" Then, his feeding tube got displaced, and a nurse snapped at my wife, "Did you touch that?"

A nurse even asked my wife, "...why is Dad stiffening up like that?" My wife replied, "...did you give him his medication for Parkinson?" To which the nurse responded, "...we have no idea he even has Parkinson!" It is clearly noted in his chart, all the doctors know, and the other shifts are aware too.

We have plenty more "charming" anecdotes from our current experience at the Bjelovar Hospital. Honestly, if I were there in person, I’d probably drag them all into a courtroom. My wife and brother-in-law have been running back and forth bringing them coffee, donuts, and whatever else they need. The medical staff yells at patients like they're in a cattle pen.
I just don't get this situation. What am I supposed to do? Confront them? Sue them? Who do I even complain to?

The old man has already been begging the kids to get him out of there; he wants to die at home.

Reading this feels like reading stories from my own mother's last stay in the hospital.🙄
My only explanation is that they are severely understaffed. It's not uncommon for them to work double shifts, and they simply can't give every patient the attention required for quality care. The system is the true culprit here; it's not that these women don't want to help, they just don't have the resources to do their jobs properly.
My advice to you is to consult with the doctor regarding the direction of his treatment and see if it's possible to manage things at home, given the state of the hospital. Don't go in guns blazing against the doctors—they aren't the villains here, they're victims of the same system. Just present them with your perspective. Actually, it is possible to arrange for home health visits every day for about 45 minutes, where a nurse can focus entirely on him. Since he suffers from Parkinson, it's also possible to get a physical therapist to handle massages and range-of-motion exercises. Both can be arranged through a specialist recommendation (either home health or via a primary care physician), so it's vital to stay on good terms with the hospital doctors. As for the hands-on care he needs—the turning, the massages, the frequent changing—that's something only family can really provide, in my experience. You can also rent a hospital bed, preferably one with hydraulics and anti-decubitus air mattresses, often from a local nursing home or medical supply depot for a nominal fee of maybe $200 $100 a month. We managed to set that up without any trouble. After a year of total immobility, my mother passed away without a single pressure sore on her body, even though she had them during the early stages of her illness. That bed was a true blessing.

Do everything in your power to ensure your loved one maintains their human dignity. Make sure they aren't in pain, that they're well-fed, and that they receive the absolute best care possible!

I only head over to Bjelovar Hospital to see my neurologist, but I’ve already told my family—straight up—that if anything happens to me, they better not even think about sending me there. It’s a total disaster...
My suggestion? If you can swing it at all, try to get your mother-in-law moved over to the Pakracka hospital. I spent quite a bit of time there, and honestly, it’s actually decent. It’s smaller than Bjelovar Hospital, so it isn't as chaotic, and the staff is way more willing to actually step up and help out...
Just my two cents, though...

redsailor11 said:I only go to Bjelovar Hospital to see my neurologist, but I told my family a long time ago: if anything ever happens to me, do not—under any circumstances—send me to Bjelovar. It’s an absolute disaster over there...
My suggestion is that if it's at all possible and you have the option, move your mother-in-law to the hospital in Pakracka. I spent quite a bit of time there, and honestly, it’s solid. Plus, it isn't much further from Bjelovar. It’s a smaller facility, less crowded, which means the staff is actually willing to cooperate and help...
That’s just my humble advice and suggestion...

So, Bjelovar Hospital certainly has its own reputation! Honestly, I thought that whole "I'm the king of this ward" attitude had died out by now.
Two years ago, my mom was in the ICU at Gospić Hospital following a heart attack (for context, we are very familiar with the medical standards in Germany), and she said she doesn't have a single complaint about that hospital or their doctors.

I've heard about Pakracka, but my mother-in-law isn't up for a transport right now; on top of everything, an embolism has developed in her lungs.

Thanks for the suggestion.👍

Angela Wright said:Reading this feels like listening to anecdotes from my own mother’s last stint in the hospital.🙄
My only explanation is that they are severely understaffed. It isn't rare for them to work double shifts, and they simply cannot provide the level of attention every patient needs for quality care. The system is the primary culprit here; it's not that these nurses don't want to help, they just don't have the working conditions to do it properly.
My advice to you is to consult with the doctor regarding the direction of your father-in-law's treatment and see if it can be managed at home, given the current state of the hospital (don't attack the doctors—they aren't to blame and are victims of the same situation themselves, just present your perspective to them). It is actually possible to arrange daily home health visits for about 45 minutes where a nurse can focus entirely on him. Since he's dealing with Parkinson, it's also possible to get a physical therapist in for massages and range-of-motion exercises. Both options are set up via specialist recommendation (home health services and the primary care physician's suggestion), so maintaining a good relationship with the hospital staff is vital. As for the hands-on care he needs—massages, turning him, frequent changing—that's something only someone in the house can provide; in my experience, that's just the reality. You can even rent a hospital bed, preferably hydraulic, equipped with anti-decubitus air mattresses, often available from local nursing homes for a nominal fee of around $200-$100 a month. We managed to pull that off without any issues. After a year of being completely immobile and bedridden, my mother passed away without a single pressure sore on her body, and she didn't even have them during the early stages of her illness. That bed was a true blessing.

Do everything in your power to ensure your father-in-law maintains his human dignity—make sure he isn't in pain, that he's fed, and that he's clean. Give him the best possible care you can manage!

The system is to blame? How can the system be at fault when you can just check a medical file and see that the patient has Parkinson?
Working conditions? Why do those conditions change drastically the moment a few bills change the owner's name? (And sadly, that's how things have to be done).

Don't think I'm attacking you; I'm just bitter about the whole situation.
Just look at my username and you can imagine everything I've been through. I don't view people in white coats as gods; they are just people who studied a craft and followed regulations, but they are still capable of making mistakes.

My wife politely consulted the doctor and tried to interpret the situation, and the response she got was basically, "...who do you think you are coming in here from the outside trying to tell us how to do our jobs..."

He isn't in the hospital because of Parkinson. Before Christmas, he had surgery for appendicitis (the whole works). After the holidays, they removed the sutures, and the next day the wound opened up. Back to the Bjelovar Hospital, the whole routine again. Apparently, his intestines fused together! His temperature spiked, and then a pulmonary Embolia appeared... that's the short version.

But thanks for the advice.👍

wiredsailor7 said:Blaming "the system"? Give me a break. What kind of system could possibly be at fault here? You don't need a complex bureaucratic machine or some massive failure in the healthcare infrastructure to explain this away. It’s much simpler than that: someone just didn't bother to look at the patient's medical file and see that they're already living with Parkinson.

Look, you've got four nurses covering thirty patients, and frankly, it’s impossible to mentally process the sheer volume of medical records for that many people at once. Sure, if there's a will, there's a way—I totally get that sentiment—but what are you supposed to do when Medicare cuts the budget down to the absolute bare minimum? It's insulting. Take Rebro Med, for example. The nurses don't even have proper medical gloves for dressing changes or wound care; they're stuck using those flimsy plastic ones you find in a cheap hair dye kit. It would kill the morale of even the most dedicated professional.

What happened to the job requirements? Why on earth does the criteria change so drastically just because a few bucks changed hands behind closed doors? It’s pathetic that this is how things are actually run.

That’s exactly what I’m talking about. The whole system is a complete disaster because corruption has completely gutted it.

Don't take this personally—I'm not coming at you. I'm just absolutely fed up with how everything is playing out.
Just take one look at my username and you can probably guess exactly what kind of hell I've been through. I don't view those people in white coats as gods. They're just professionals who spent years mastering their craft and followed the rules to get where they are—but at the end of the day, they’re still human beings, and humans make mistakes.

Look, I get it. It’s perfectly clear you aren't coming at me personally, and I totally understand why you're so bitter about the whole situation. My username might not be particularly poetic, but believe me, I am one of the many people out there living through this exact same nightmare. Maybe you noticed "For a New Day" in my signature? That organization was founded specifically because we are hell-bent on fixing this broken, dysfunctional system. Doctors, technicians, nurses—we’re all part of the same machine, but at the end of the day, it’s the patients who carry the heaviest burden when everything falls apart. Of course, you find parasites in any industry, but I truly believe most professionals are decent people; they've just been tossed into a rigged game where they have to scramble just to survive. Naturally, the corrupt ones rise to the top, because in a mess like this, cutting corners is always the easiest way to get ahead.

My wife tried to be polite and offer some input to the doctor, just trying to help interpret the results, and you can tell exactly what he thought of her. His response was basically, "Who do you think you are coming in here from out of town and trying to lecture us?"

Look, he’s just exhausted. He’s sick of playing the part of the perpetual victim and explaining his struggles to a room full of people—especially when he knows he probably sounds like an idiot to everyone else anyway. We aren't exactly flies on the wall in those hospital wards, and we don't truly grasp the hell people have to endure behind those sterile white walls. He’s bitter, plain and simple. And honestly? You’re just as bitter as he is.
I’ve always stood firmly on the patient's side, but I’ve also heard the other side of the story—so please, keep this between us. My mother was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an incredibly aggressive brain tumor that you just can't stop permanently. Her treatment involves Temodal, which is covered by Medicare. It’s the kind of thing that extends life slightly and makes those extra days a bit more bearable than if she were doing nothing at all. We were told that once the tumor recurs, Temodal becomes useless because the cancer builds up a resistance to it. However, thanks to the information shared on this forum, we found out directly from experts in Houston that treating a recurrence with Temodal is actually standard practice worldwide, especially if there was a positive response the first time around. By the time we realized this, my mom had already progressed too far into the recurrence to even handle the chemo again. When we finally got our oncologist on the phone, she let it slip: "Medicare won't cover it, so we have to tell you it won't work." Look, I get it—there isn't enough money to go around. I won't dive into the specifics of why, but I assume the limited funds are being diverted toward people who actually stand a chance at a full recovery, rather than someone like my mother, where the goal is simply extending life. But where is the moral right for anyone to rob my mother and me of our precious remaining time together? Where is the right to deny us the option to just buy the Temodal ourselves? Can you even imagine what that was like for the oncologist? It’s devastating. Believe me, any decent doctor wants to cure their patients or at least provide the absolute maximum care possible, but she’s being stripped of that right under the threat of losing her job. Do you see what that does to a system? Regardless of how bitter I feel about it, I think it’s only fair to look at both sides of the coin before we pass judgment.

He isn't in the hospital because of Parkinson's. Right before Christmas, he had an appendectomy—the whole works. After the holidays, they pulled the sutures, but the wound opened up the very next day. He was rushed back to Bjelovar Hospital for another full procedure, and apparently, his intestines had adhered together. Then the fever spiked, and he developed an embolism in his lungs... that's the short version of this nightmare.

Honestly, I just hope they can stabilize him. If his time is truly coming soon, I want him to be at home, surrounded by all of you who love him and can give him the dignity and attention every person deserves in their final days.

Thanks for the advice, 👍

Don't mention it. If you ever need any advice, don't hesitate to reach out.