# Hospital aquired Pneumonia ?



## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

I lost my sister last Saturday who went into hospital with acute back pain after slipping out of bed and who was in too much pain to get up. Doctors and paramedics were called and she was admitted to hospital.
She was in there 10 days and there didn't seem to be much in the way of an idea of what to do with her. .


She has had asthma and shortness of breath for some time but could still get about but the recent pain in her back was put down to damaged/crushed vertebrae due to crumbling bones


Nothing happened for the first 3 days and then we asked what was happening they said we are going to get Physio to come and see her. She could not get out of bed even to go to the toilet as the pain was too great. It was the Easter break and so there was no Physio till the following Tuesday. Physio came and spoke to her but that is all. She went downhill that week her breathing getting worse and she was tired and asleep most of the time. On Saturday 7th at 10.30 the hospital phoned to say she had had a bad night with her breathing and was on oxygen. We went to see her and her breathing was very laboured. It got worse during the day and we were called in to speak to the doctors who said she has Hospital acquired pneumonia. She dies a few hours later.


The point of my post is that does anyone know or can anyone explain how this occurs. There was nothing untoward with her breathing when she went in it being the same as it usually was but now she has lost her life to something she has picked up in the hospital. is this something we just have to live with or expect like MRSA and the like.


Any help or advise specially from those in the heath service would be appreciated


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

How terrible. Often people do go to hospital because they are suffering with something and Pneumonia is developed. I would be surprised if it was specific to hospitals though.
Out of interest, what age was she please?

Ray.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Dreadful experience for you all, sorry for your loss.

Good explanation here, it looks as you mention similar to how MRSA is aquired.

Question for the hospital is, were they aware of it in the ward and were barrier nursing practices being followed.

http://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/720

Terry


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

It is pneumonia that occurs 48 hrs plus after hospitalisation 

In other words the infection has been acquired within the hospital setting

It is bacterial rather than viral 

I’m really sorry to hear of your loss drcotts 

I don’t know if the species of bacteria that infected your sister is covered by the pneumonia vaccine drcotts , but any one over 65 or who suffers from asthma etc , should be offered it by their GP, It’s a one off vaccination, possibally a booster 5 years later It protects against a wide range of bacteria that can cause pneumonia, so well worth ensuring you have it 

Thinking of you and your family

Sandra


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Terry

Barrier nursing procedures can only be followed on the patient who has an infection 

Be it MRSA or another 

Of course good hygiene should be followed everywhere 

But it isn’t possible to barrier nurse every patient on the off chance ,though hospitals now test patients, especially surgical patients for that eventuality 

But the bacteria that spreads pneumonia is aerobic 

Those in a weakened state may succumb 

And it attacks those whose immunity is low for whatever reason 

And we’ve long since known a hospital is not a good but necessary environment to be sometimes 

And I guess like MRSA ,hospital pneumonia is a risk we have to take 

We have no way of irradicating yet 

Sandra


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

So sorry to read this, a fairly sudden death is extremely hard to deal with.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

aldra said:


> Terry
> 
> Barrier nursing procedures can only be followed on the patient who has an infection
> 
> ...


But if a patient is put in a bed beside a known carrier there's no barrier, and good practise is to provide one.

My brother was recently in a chest ward, on discovery of a patient with HAP they were isolated, other patients were tested and the ward bays were segregated to minimise spread.

Terry


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

of course 

The hospitals will do everything to halt the spread of any infection 

But sadly it’s a fact of life 

When we enter a hospital we take our chance And usually that chance is mitigated by the reason we are there in the first place , our immune system or health plays a part 

Hospitals can only do what they can

Airobic bacteria is just that

It spreads and for the vulnerable 

It’s life threatening 

Sandra


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

So sorry for your sad loss, drcotts.


I was under the impression that lying immobile for long periods of time was often the cause of pneumonia. Perhaps this did not help? Pneumonia is, sadly, one of the commonest causes of death in the frail elderly. Doesn't make it any easier to bear though.


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

So sorry to hear of the sudden loss of your sister, drcotts. I can understand your worries when it was so unexpected and not directly related to what she was admitted for. I hope you get the answers you want and find peace and acceptance. I concur with what patp says, my Granny was a WW1 nurse and I remember her telling me that. And if her osteoporosis was advanced, no amount of physio would have helped. It's known to be VERY painful.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

You don’t catch pneumonia from others 

It’s a bacterial infection that attacks the vulnerable 

Things help to ease its way

Low immunity, immobility , poor health , all cause a loss of lung function 

And we find it difficult to fight off the bacterial infection 

Antibiotics may or may not help 

It’s a bit like flu, you catch it or not

If you are very young or very old 

Fighting it can be a problem 

And to young and old it can be life threatening 

Sandra


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

Thank you to everyone for your replies and for the useful information.
It is a sad time of course but I am the family will get through it all. We are not the sort of family who are round each others houses all the time but when needed we are always there for each other. My other sister is coming over for the funeral so sad though it is we will have time to see each other and help each other through it. 


Thanks again everyone


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

A good philosophy to have


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