Nice people thread part 6 - thrice by twice as nice :)

lostinrates

LydiaJ wrote: »

The nurse I knows best ended up completely worn out working on understaffed wards, frequently working a whole shift without so much time as to go to the loo. She found it demoralising to be looking after so many patients that she wasn't able to give them the level of care she believes they each deserve.

In the end, the exhaustion and the childcare complications of doing shift work became too much for her. She's a community nurse now, working much more sociable daytime hours. She's still crazy-busy from the beginning of her shift until she leaves (usually long after she's supposed to finish) but at least she now has a bit of head space as she drives from one appointment to the next. She does dressings, drugs, catheters, and lots of other things for patients who are at home and unable to travel to the surgery.

My grandmother became a community nurse after her kids were born (she had been a ward sister before then). She loved it as a job (though think the pace of life was very different. She became, for some reason, very interested in hearing tests which she did on children and her daughter picked up on this and became a specialist teacher in a non hearing school eventually, having started her career in other areas of education with the deaf. Funny how these things impact down the generations sometimes.

LydiaJ

lostinrates wrote: »

When i was very very ill, after an op i was offered supper. I asked if i were really allowed to eat that night and they said yes, they recommended i did even, so i ate some food ( i think it was soup and sandwich). It was not easy for me to make my self understood back then and i was so plleased.

Anyway, i ate it and in the wee small hours projectile vomited. The vomit actually hit the wall infront of me:eek::o. As well as going all over me. I was trying to aim, and call the nurse and everything and it was just gross.

I was deeply ashamed, crying, embarrassed and unable to do anything for myself. The night nurse when she finally came was livid. She took the top sheet off and replaced it and left me like that, filthy, stinking.

The morning crew found me still awake and crying, ashamed and unable to move (i had two drains in me either side of the bed so could not even shift left or right to even try to mop up myself. They were kind but i have to admit the shame of that and the fury has always stayed with me. Going into hospital is not fun. Its not a choice, usually. Being sick messily really ain't fun either, and i was ashamed enough without being left to stink in it. I am quite lucky really that i did not get sore round where the drains in me were and stuff. Even my hair was covered.

That is inexcusable. I am horrified.

lostinrates

LydiaJ wrote: »

That is inexcusable. I am horrified.

That was private tbf.

I have a rwam of horror stories. Here is an nhs one.

So, i end up in hospital with seriously spasming back and unable to walk etc. left on trolley in corridor for three hours. I needed a wee when i gotvthere and by now i am desperate.

'you cannot wee because you might be paralysed'.

Hmm, no, if i were paralysed i woulda wee'd by now! I am going to wet myself and i don't want to do it in a corridor, please can i have a bed pan..

Now a more logical answer, no, we cannot move you in case something is damaged and we paralise you.

Ok, that i can see. What aout towels, can we minimise the damage here by at least letting me piddle padded out with towels....

'.no, that would not be hygeinic'

Well, ots not going to be hygenic when i let loose in a minute here.

Eventually they angle a bed pan under me in a way that would definitely have dislodged so ething if it had been broken and leave me, then tut because i am not peeing immediately. I am not peeing immeadiately because i am trying to pee uphill at an angle of what, about seventy degrees, girl anatomoy does not really help this endeavour!:o

(should have taken my own or viva's plastic bag, problem solved )

Edit...actually that was the time that my sister helped me break away at the worlds slowest self discharge the next day.

MiddyMum

lostinrates wrote: »

I was deeply ashamed, crying, embarrassed and unable to do anything for myself. The night nurse when she finally came was livid. She took the top sheet off and replaced it and left me like that, filthy, stinking.

The morning crew found me still awake and crying, ashamed and unable to move (i had two drains in me either side of the bed so could not even shift left or right to even try to mop up myself. They were kind but i have to admit the shame of that and the fury has always stayed with me. Going into hospital is not fun. Its not a choice, usually. Being sick messily really ain't fun either, and i was ashamed enough without being left to stink in it. I am quite lucky really that i did not get sore round where the drains in me were and stuff. Even my hair was covered.

Yeaurck. I hope no one is reading while eating their supper!:o

The night nurse makes me feel cross, I always used to adopt the attitude that you need to make patients feel like nothing is too much bother, and you have seen and done it all a million times before (even if you havent). Least that way, the patient will never feel ashamed as most of the time patients will not even want to bother the nurses as they will feel embarrassed but a nurse is there to care for you, for me sick really isn't a big deal at all. So, I would like to apologise on the behalf of that nurse, because you should never have been made to feel that way about yourself, you were not well, and as for just replacing the top sheet, no, just no. Laziness beyond belief.

lostinrates

MiddyMum wrote: »

The night nurse makes me feel cross, I always used to adopt the attitude that you need to make patients feel like nothing is too much bother, and you have seen and done it all a million times before (even if you havent). Least that way, the patient will never feel ashamed as most of the time patients will not even want to bother the nurses as they will feel embarrassed but a nurse is there to care for you, for me sick really isn't a big deal at all. So, I would like to apologise on the behalf of that nurse, because you should never have been made to feel that way about yourself, you were not well, and as for just replacing the top sheet, no, just no. Laziness beyond belief.

Middy, thank you.

You know its hard, because nuraes and doctors have off days like anyone else. The thing is too many off days and mistakes have happened to me, which has left me with terrible fears and managing long term ill health i will admit these hang ups make me a more difficult patient. I refuse to see GPs (who bear the brunt of my latrophobia) unless i cannot work out the answer myself (i have no human medical training but some veterinary understanding ).

This means that like this summer, when i do give in i am over wrought, highly emotionally charged and sicker than perhaps i would have been had i nagged earlier.

MiddyMum

lostinrates wrote: »

That was private tbf.

I have a rwam of horror stories. Here is an nhs one.

So, i end up in hospital with seriously spasming back and unable to walk etc. left on trolley in corridor for three hours. I needed a wee when i gotvthere and by now i am desperate.

'you cannot wee because you might be paralysed'.

Hmm, no, if i were paralysed i woulda wee'd by now! I am going to wet myself and i don't want to do it in a corridor, please can i have a bed pan..

Now a more logical answer, no, we cannot move you in case something is damaged and we paralise you.

Ok, that i can see. What aout towels, can we minimise the damage here by at least letting me piddle padded out with towels....

'.no, that would not be hygeinic'

Well, ots not going to be hygenic when i let loose in a minute here.

Eventually they angle a bed pan under me in a way that would definitely have dislodged so ething if it had been broken and leave me, then tut because i am not peeing immediately. I am not peeing immeadiately because i am trying to pee uphill at an angle of what, about seventy degrees, girl anatomoy does not really help this endeavour!:o

(should have taken my own or viva's plastic bag, problem solved )

Edit...actually that was the time that my sister helped me break away at the worlds slowest self discharge the next day.

Oh dear me, it really seems that some health care professionals can't be bothered. The time they spend pontificating about it all, they could have just got the thing. I hope they at least tried to uphold what was left of your dignity, curtains round you, no one looking at you etc..

lostinrates

MiddyMum wrote: »

Oh dear me, it really seems that some health care professionals can't be bothered. The time they spend pontificating about it all, they could have just got the thing. I hope they at least tried to uphold what was left of your dignity, curtains round you, no one looking at you etc..

Hahaha, no, i went in the corridor and someone, i cannot remember who, maybe dh, but for some reason i don't think so.. Just cannot remember. Anyway, i think someone held a coat up. Luckily i am not too shy !

lostinrates

Most importantly, HUGE congrats to DS lydia!

MiddyMum

lostinrates wrote: »

Middy, thank you.

You know its hard, because nuraes and doctors have off days like anyone else. The thing is too many off days and mistakes have happened to me, which has left me with terrible fears and managing long term ill health i will admit these hang ups make me a more difficult patient. I refuse to see GPs (who bear the brunt of my latrophobia) unless i cannot work out the answer myself (i have no human medical training but some veterinary understanding ).

This means that like this summer, when i do give in i am over wrought, highly emotionally charged and sicker than perhaps i would have been had i nagged earlier.

I have met patients that have had your experiences before, usually listening to the patient's fears and concerns can go a long way, especially where establishing a relationship is concerned. Unfortunately, a nurse having an off day may very well end up providing substandard care, but it is never acceptable and if you feel that a nurse is not acting accordingly, you are within your right to report him/her to the NMC or GMC. Sometimes, I have been so exhausted but I would always say to the patient, if I can't do it, I will definately make sure someone else can. Sometimes, that may have been in the form of, getting home, waking up in the middle of the night to go to the loo, remembering that I hadn't done it and then calling the ward at 2am in the morning in a state of panic, but I would always make sure it was done and then follow up with the patient on my next shift. Patients are usually very intuitive to a good or bad healthcare professional, ward politics or not. Some people are just naturals, and some people just ruddy well fuddle it up, and shouldn't be there in the first place.

LydiaJ

MiddyMum wrote: »

Well done to your son LydiaJ,

lostinrates wrote: »

Most importantly, HUGE congrats to DS lydia!

Thank you both. I am so pleased and proud - out of all proportion to how I felt when I got into the top maths set myself at that age. Why do I feel this way?