Do any of your Trust allow patients to go walkabouts whilst attached to infusion devices?
Have you had any incidents associated with this practice?
I know that even in the ward environment patients aren't supervised 24/7, but at least the ward is supervised.
I don't think that patients should be allowed to roam freely, in this situation.

Cheers
Mark

A year or so ago I helped an old guy, in his dressing gown and slippers, with Imed in tow, to cross the main road outside Ealing Hospital in pouring rain, where he was intent on buying his packet of gaspers from the corner shop. There you are, yet another good deed done!

You see them all the time outside Derriford in their tired dressing gown and comedy slippers puffing away on their cancer sticks dripstand in tow! They will be the same patients honking in the local rag about how they caught MRSA from their filthy NHS Hospital. Makes me sick.

Never mind infusion gear, what about catheter bags??? What a revolting sight! The lengths some patients go to have a gasper! Is it impossible to provide nicotine patches to smoking patients?

Yep same here. Made me laugh when I saw the lady with the toxic cancer drugs in her Graseby pump standing at the door with a fag in one hand and a mobile phone in the other hand (why do we bother !!) but at least her pump had a keypad lock. Many moons ago when we had Fresenius Injectomats I saw another lady walking along with one on a dripstand and her kid was merrily playing with the rate button.

It's a regular occurence at Portsmouth. You also see them playing with the pump trying to shut the alarm up.
The best I have seen is one patient showing another how to unlock the pump, reprogramme it and then lock it again, whilst all the while puffing away on their ciggies in front of the No Smoking sign!!!!!

Meanwhile, back on the ward!

all i can say is, natural selection!!!
even those Darwin awards should not be given to some of these people...... but im sure our tax $$'s will keep them well and happy.... even if you dont pay for(including the over the top revenue VAT on) tobacco or public house served alcoholic beverages.

Another example, a patient connected to a Vac pump and 2 baxter pumps fitted on a dodgy dripstand, standing outside in the rain smoking - and then bashing the pumps about to get inside.

Why bother getting treatment if they are gonna go outside and smoke!?

Don't forget the tabbers that frequent outside A&E depts. happily chuffing away with their Oxygen cylinder in tow!