Home Nurse Care in Bangkok

[sonnycarrierharrison]

 

I am looking for a daytime nurse who speaks at least a little English, for 8-12 hours a day, for my father who lives in Thawi Watthana, Bangkok, starting immediately, and for 4-8 weeks. We are reasonably flexible on price.

 

He has limited mobility, but is all there mentally, and needs someone who can assist him running errands, help him move around the house, and so on.

I've looked at http://www.healthcare-hands.com, but they seem to be primarily a concierge service, and also none of the (many) phone numbers on their site work. On the recommendation of Bumrungrad hospital, I tried http://kronusasia.com/, who seemed pretty competent, but can't turn around a nurse until mid January, and even then, only one who doesn't speak any English.

 

The other hospitals I've rung for recommendations can't even understand what I'm asking for, which is mildly annoying. Any recommendations?

 

[NickJ]

When I needed this service for a relative.  The nurses at the hospital she was released from gave me the names and numbers of a few companies that supply nurses aids. I hired one to live in the house....they have basic training.  It was 10 k a month. That was for a live in  and was about five years ago.

So try asking at a hospital.

Good luck.

[Sheryl]

From what you describe you definitely don't need a nurse and I am not even sure you need a nurses aid. What are the skilled things that he requires? If it is just someone to run errands and fetch things and so forth, no reason to pay for a nurses aid. If there are skills required that you did not mention, then the least expensive option is to go to local hospitals and health centers and talk to the nurses there, putting the word out (but be specific as to what you need, you don't want to pay for an RN when an aide would have done). Government Hospitals will have a nursing office which has a roster if nurses and nurse aids looking for private duty work.

Going through a agency or private hospital will cost you more than double what it should.

 

I would also suggest just putting the word out in the neighborhood, asking neighbors, shopkeepers etc.

[chubby]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activities_of_daily_living

 

usually LTC insurance, pays if you need help with 3 of these. for a reference, then there are the "IADLS"  like shopping.... "instrumental"

 

often the term "nurse" is meant "an nursing aide", trained in 8 weeks to take BPs and do bathing etc, no "skill" involved, eg  medications , wound care, or higher level problem solving/education of the aide. ;  a "registered nurse" or sometimes a LPN , in the USA anyways , FWIW

 

an agency would have 1 RN to create a program then monitor its implementation, of course that would cost more than just "cash" direct hiring, but then there might be some risks, if there aren't references, or 'background checks' in one's home ... course TIT

Edited December 21, 2016 by chubby

[al007]

Sheryls comment is very valid

 

On this topic of nurses at home, there is unfortunately  a strong possibility my health may deteriorate substantially at some stage in the future

 

So each time we visit hospitals locally and are talking to nurses we find many are there on temporary assignments, so I get my wife to get names and telephone numbers for possible use in the future

 

We now have 2/3 nurses living locally who might help if required, or know someone who could, the seeds have been planted

 

Advance planning helps a lot, and could save palliative care in hospital at a later stage

 

I am not negative just realistic, it is easier to do now rather than later

[robertthebruce]

Hi

 

did you find anyone to help out ???

 

if not, please send me a PM ..

 

thanks

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Anyone have any luck with finding private nurse referrals from hospitals (government or private) in BKK???

 

I've got something coming up where I may need/want to hire a real nurse for purposes of giving several times a day injections at home over the period of a week or so.

 

Apparently, it's that or spend the same amount of time as a hospital inpatient solely in order to receive a couple of (3?) injections per day, which seems like an unnecessary waste for what's actually required.

 

Edited September 10, 2017 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[al007]

2 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Anyone have any luck with finding private nurse referrals from hospitals (government or private) in BKK???

 

I've got something coming up where I may need/want to hire a real nurse for purposes of giving several times a day injections at home over the period of a week or so.

 

Apparently, it's that or spend the same amount of time as a hospital inpatient solely in order to receive a couple of (3?) injections per day, which seems like an unnecessary waste for what's actually required.

 

Suggestion

 

Get some posters  A4 made up in Thai and then get wife to distribute in the likes of food hall at chulalongkorn hospital, plus a couple of other hospitals near where you live and you will almost certainly find what you need, so many nurses around and many part time temporary

 

In the country many local clinics small hospitals and they too would I am sure help, not sure about small clinics in bangkok

 

Even ask hospitals direct how much to give you three injections a day at home

[al007]

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Anyone have any luck with finding private nurse referrals from hospitals (government or private) in BKK???

 

Try Dr Donna Robinson, she may be able to help or point you in the right direction, I met her a year ago and she was very helpful and I think is english

 

https://www.medconsultasia.com

 

[khlongtoey]

13 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Anyone have any luck with finding private nurse referrals from hospitals (government or private) in BKK???

 

I've got something coming up where I may need/want to hire a real nurse for purposes of giving several times a day injections at home over the period of a week or so.

 

Apparently, it's that or spend the same amount of time as a hospital inpatient solely in order to receive a couple of (3?) injections per day, which seems like an unnecessary waste for what's actually required.

 

what type of 'injections' would that be?  like home infusion with an IV ?  or otherwise could you not self inject if its like heparin or something?

[al007]

2 hours ago, khlongtoey said:

 otherwise could you not self inject if its like heparin or something?

I did think of suggesting self in inject, many do this for insulin, I also give all injections to my dogs, but not sure a good idea also have to ensure no air injected

 

I get in trouble on TVF for suggesting outside the box ideas

 

Surely in Bangkok can not be so difficult to get professional help, also probably low cost

 

Just be very careful I would say before going DIY route

Edited September 11, 2017 by al007

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

13 hours ago, al007 said:

Try Dr Donna Robinson, she may be able to help or point you in the right direction, I met her a year ago and she was very helpful and I think is english

 

https://www.medconsultasia.com

 

 

That's a good suggestion. I hadn't thought of pursuing that line of inquiry.

 

Thanks for that and your other suggestion above.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 hours ago, khlongtoey said:

what type of 'injections' would that be?  like home infusion with an IV ?  or otherwise could you not self inject if its like heparin or something?

 

I'm not sure of the details yet. Still have to finalize things with my doctor as to the best approach. But it sounds like it would be medication either by IV or injection, and if injection, would be 3 times a day. It's for an minor infection that's only susceptible to IV or injection antibiotics. Everything in pill form is resistant.

 

I feel fine, and have no overall medical problems. The only issue is how to best receive the medication. And 3 trips a day to see my doctor at the hospital seems a bit unwieldy. So the doctor has broached doing it as inpatient. But that seems a big waste of my time and probably money too -- if I can simply get the same medication at home instead.

 

 

Edited September 11, 2017 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Sheryl]

Some hospitals have home nursing programs. I would start by asking at the hospital your doctor is affiliated with, as this would simplify matters in terms of supply of the IVs, syringes, needles etc

 

there is also this agency http://www.healthcare-hands.com/home-nursing-care-bangkok

 

And this one, specific to IV infusions  http://www.homeivcare.co.th/

 

Though would cost more than finding a nurse on your own

 

There are some IV antibiotics -- inlcuding ones used for resistant infections --  that require only a single does IV every 24 hours. Ask your doctor if one of those would be appropriate. If so, consider  going to the hospital daily as an outpatient for the injection, or, if the hospital is far away, find a clinic nearer to your home to do the infusion (would help to know where you live)

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Thanks very much for those excellent, on-point suggestions, Sheryl...

 

That's the consistent/ongoing problem with living here -  I would have had no idea those kinds of services are available in Bangkok, and probably wouldn't have found them on my own. And obviously, I'm not the only one looking for these kinds of services, as this thread attests.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 12/14/2016 at 11:22 PM, Sheryl said:

Government Hospitals will have a nursing office which has a roster if nurses and nurse aids looking for private duty work.

Going through a agency or private hospital will cost you more than double what it should.

 

 

FWIW, I was at Mission Hospital in BKK today, AKA Bangkok Adventist, and took advantage of the visit to talk with their nursing director on the above point. Obviously, Mission is a private, not government hospital.

 

Unfortunately, the nursing director there said they don't keep any list or other means of enabling patients seeking private/home nursing care to find it/connect with nurses seeking outside work. But she did agree to check around and promised to call me if she could find/suggest some other resource on the subject.

 

While I was there, and talking with different hospital staff on the general subject, I did find out two other things:

 

--they apparently have what they call day rooms, perhaps known in expat parlance as short time rooms, where a patient can stay during the day for treatment without being admitted as an inpatient or staying overnight.

 

--their staff also mentioned that they have I believe what they called a nursing ward, which kind of sounded like a place for elderly folks who need care but not full-blown hospital care.

 

Since neither of those are likely suited to my situation, I didn't delved into further details with them such as pricing.

 

[rawirn]

I'm a nurse, registered nurse , live in bangkok , 5 years experience in hospital, now I work as freelance . you can contact me to ask more information [email protected]